Sadie Hawkin's Day

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information


Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two



Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

This information is for an activity discussed in the February E- magazine oF Activity Director Today

Sadie Hawkins Day is a fun holiday usually celebrated on February 29 on leap years Sadie is a comic strip character. Over the decades, it has developed into a well-known celebration.

Sadie Hawkins was created by a man called Al Capp. He wrote a now-classic cartoon called Li'l Abner. He worked on this from 1934 to 1977. Ms Hawkins lived in a small rural community in the fictional town of Dogpatch.

She waited and waited and waited for a marriage proposal, but none came. At the age of 35, her father struck upon an idea to marry off his daughter. He decided to name a day after his daughter.

There was a special event on this day(Feb 29). Sadie had to chase all the unmarried men in the town. Whoever she caught, she would marry.

The bachelor chase in the cartoon strip is still observed today in many places in the USA. The most common events are special parties at which girls can approach boys and ask them to dance. The parties are sometimes called "WPAs" (Women Pay All) or "Turnabout". Obviously, this is because the girls invite the boys and pay for dinner and dance tickets, etc. These events are declining in popularity. In 1952, there were over 40,000 Sadie Hawkins Day events. Nowadays, with the rise of the modern feminist movement, it has become more of a fun event. It is common today to “go dutch,” which is when a man and woman split the bill at a restaurant.

Some people celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day in November

How to Help Those with Alzheimer’s Enjoy the Holiday Season

As an Activoiies Director,other healthcare professional, or cavegiver, you will be interested in this

About.com
By Carrie Hill, PhD,
While people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, often enjoy the holiday season, those with early-stage Alzheimer's might feel a special sense of loss during this time. And those in the middle or later stages could become overwhelmed by the influx of people and boisterous celebrations. Here are three ways to help your loved one enjoy the holiday season:

Involve your relative in holiday preparations. Have your loved one help with tasks she enjoys, and adapt those tasks to her current abilities. For instance, she could help you wrap gifts ....read the whole article

Animals that leap

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information


Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two



Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition

This information is for an activity discussed in the February E- magazine oF Activity Director Today

Animals that leap or jump

Most animals can leap, and some are really good at it.


Antelopes, gazelles, tigers, leopards, cats, monkeys, flying squirrels, gliding lizards and horses (think:  dressage), kangaroos lions, tigers, rabbits, grasshoppers and frogs


In fact, most types of animals can leap with the exception of large ungulates such as elephants, rhinos, hippos, etc.

Why there is leap year

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information


Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two



Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Leap year comes every four years

Learn why

subscribe to the  Activity Director e-magazine to learn about great leap year activities in the February 2016 edition

It was the ancient Egyptians who first figured out that the solar year and the man-made calendar year didn't always match up.

That's because it actually takes the Earth a little longer than a year to travel around the Sun — 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds, to be exact.

Therefore, as the hours accumulated over the centures, an extra day was occasionally added to the calendar, and over time the practice became more or less official.

The Romans first designated February 29 as leap day, but a more precise formula (still in use today) was adopted in the 16th century when the Gregorian calendar fine-tuned the calculations to include a leap day in years only divisible by four - 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, etc.

Another stipulation ruled that no year divisible by 100 would have a leap year, except if it was divisible by 400. Thus, 1900 was not a leap year ... but 2000 was! Go figure.

Thankfully, all this intricate plotting will continue to keep us in tune with the seasons over the next several thousand years.

While leap day helped official timekeepers, it also resulted in social customs turned upside down when February 29 became a "no man's land" without legal jurisdiction.

As the story goes, the tradition of women romantically pursuing men in leap years began in 5th century Ireland, when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about the fair sex having to wait for men to propose. Patrick finally relented and set February 29 aside as the day set aside allowing women the right to ask for a man's hand in marriage.

The tradition continued in Scotland, when Queen Margaret declared in 1288 that on February 29 a woman had the right to pop the question to any man she fancied. Menfolk who refused were faced with a fine in the form of a kiss, a silk dress, or a pair of gloves given to the rejected lady fair.
A similar modern American tradition, Sadie Hawkins Day, honors "the homeliest gal in the hills" created by Al Capp in the cartoon strip Li'l Abner. In the famous story line, Sadie and every other woman in town were allowed on that day to pursue and catch the most eligible bachelors in Dogpatch. Although the comic strip placed Sadie Hawkins Day in November, today it has become almost synonymous with February 29.

Why are leap years needed?

Leap years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth's revolutions around the sun.
The next leap year will occur in 2016

More Christmas Ideas for Those with Dementia

These ideas can also be used with others who reside at a long term care facility
Therefore Activities Directors, other healthcare professionals and caregivers will find this post of interest

Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire 

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter


Alzheimer’s Care Group

Christmas Ideas

Hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner.  Commericals for Christmas sales are already beginning to pop up on the TV.  Here is a great idea for Christmas gifts that can be made by your residents.

Dough Art

Overview

Dough Art is a fun activity that gives residents the chance to use their hands and imagination.  The residents may use the dough to make ornaments and give them as Christmas gifts.

Purpose

·        To stimulate creativity and imagination

·        To give residents a sense of accomplishment

·        To provide sensory stimulation

Materials

Two cups of flour

One cup of salt

Water

Large bowl

Mixing spoon

Spice, such as ginger or nutmeg (optional)

Cookie cutters

Baking sheet (optional)

Paints (optional)

Ribbon or string (optional)

Set-up

Arrange chairs around a table.

Process

1.      Ask for one or two volunteers to help make the dough.

2.      Direct the volunteers to pour the flour and salt into the bowl. Next, tell them to mix together the flour, salt and spice (optional) with the mixing spoon.  Then, direct them to add just enough water so that the mix becomes a workable dough ball.

3.      Give each resident a chance to knead the dough.  Note: knead the dough for about 10 minutes total.

4.     

Separate the dough into balls.  Give one dough ball to each resident.

           Let the residents choose from the cookie cutters or simply mold the dough by hand.

Making Ornaments

1.      Place the dough shapes onto a baking sheet. Next, make a hole at the top of each shape so it may be hung later by a ribbon or string. Then, place the baking sheet into an oven heated to 300 degrees and bake for 1 ½ hours.

2.      Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the ornaments cool.

3.      Set the paints out.  Next, direct the residents to paint the items they made.  Then, let the items dry.

4.      Set out the ribbons or string.  Next, direct the residents to tie the ribbon or string to the top of each ornament.

5.      Suggest that the residents may want to give an ornament to a family member or friend as a Christmas gift.

6.      Ask for volunteers to help clean up.

More ideas for those with dementia and others in long term care

Man In Nursing Home Reacts To Hearing Music From His Era.

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two


Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Music and Memory video took off because a viewer with lots of social influence posted the link to the video on Reddit. This points out how sharing an article can give it a "big life", and allows information to be found by persons all over the world. Hint.

In case you missed it, here is another view of the video, Man In Nursing Home Reacts To Hearing Music From His Era.

The video is before and after these other articles aboutthepowerofmusic for those with dementia

• Music Boosts Memory in Alzheimer’s Patients
• The Power of Music in Alzheimer’s Disease
• Improving the Quality of Life of Alzheimer's Patients and Their Caregivers
• Alzheimer's Patient, Dotty, Sings Embraceable You and Shine on Harvest Moon
• Lifestyle Changes and Music as Alzheimer's Therapy
• The Neuroscience of Music
• Music Boosts Memory in Alzheimer’s, Is this Why the Poop Song Works
• Does Music Unlock Memory in Alzheimer's Sufferers
• Seniors Bring Song, Hope To Alzheimer Patients
• Alzheimer’s and Music: How a Classical Violinist Brought Great Joy to My Demented Romanian Soul Mate
• Music and Alzheimer’s Disease: Using Music to Engage, Comfort and Bring Joy to Your Loved OnesActivities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Suggest Appropriate Gifts for Those with Dementia

Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire 

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two


Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

As an activities director, you are in a position to suggest gifts for family members to buy for their loved ones with dementia. Here is an article that will help you, other healthcare professionals and caregivers
prlog
Christmas,Chanukah and alike are the perfect chance to give gifts that are not only enjoyable but also are beneficial to persons with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. These presents keep on giving long after the holiday season is gone
First on the list of gifts is a book by Susan Berg called Adorable Photographs of Our Baby -- Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals, This book features baby photographs that seniors with dementia love. This book shares a plethora of ideas and resources for you.

Another gift dementia persons will fancy is a....read the whole article