Activity Department Survey Compliance Tools
The Comprehensive Activity Department Audit Tool provides the Director or consultant a valuable tool to identify area's within the Activity Department that are not compliant. The Comprehensive tool includes, Audit Tool (24 pages), Explanations and Objectives Form.

Along with the Survey Tools you should use...

Population and Calendar Analysis Tools

Volunteer Policy and Procedure Manual

Resident Rights Prints

Sensory Enrichment Activity Calendar

Dementia Activity Calendar

Best Friends Book of Activities

Psychosocial Care Planning Almanac

Dementia Care Plan Dictionary

Staff Inservices

National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners

NCCDP Lapel Pin
show your pride in being a certified Dementia Practitioner!
only $18.00

www.activitytherapy.com
www.activitytherapy.makesparties.com - 10% corporate discount
activitytherapy@aol.com
973 729 6601 Office 973 729 1560 Fax

Activity Professionals Week
Activity Profession Tribute Contest
Ways to Honor Your Staff
Winning Tribute from 2007-2008
NCCDP Declares February 14th to 21st as Alzheimer’s and Dementia Staff Education Week
A Call to Serve!
Capture Those Wonderful Volunteers
Touch Quilt Tea
Resources

Capture Those Wonderful Volunteers

Each year you have many volunteer groups, “drop in” groups and donations coming into the facility. It is very important that you capture the information about each of these wonderful individuals and groups. Place a form at the receptionist desk and explain the form to her. The form should include the following information: Date, Name of Group, Contact Person, Phone number, email address, web address, address, donated items. If Volunteers or Volunteer group a line to describe the type of service they will be providing. 

After the holidays are over, you should have an extensive list of potential volunteers to contact. Some of these volunteers such as The Salvation Army may only be available at holiday times but others might be able to come more often.  This may be a church Bell Choir, Youth Group Choir, Local Pre School, etc.  Remember to send a Thank You Card after the holidays regardless of donation or volunteer time. You might want to consider purchasing a box of cards so you cards easily accessible. If you have a volunteer, or resident looking for a task, this is a perfect job Take the time to send a Thank you note and acknowledge the volunteers for including your facility in the holiday festivities. Many of these organizations will read your note at their next meeting and follow up notes by you are definitely appreciated. For new Activity Directors, what better time to find out what volunteers, groups and organizations are involved in your community.  If you are able to make the time, ask the receptionist to contact you when anyone is volunteering or even dropping off gifts and donations and take the time to introduce yourself.   

A Call To Serve

These are very difficult, trying and to some very scary times.  This is our time as Activity Directors to get involved in your local communities.  Local volunteer groups, soup kitchens, schools, towns are facing huge budget cuts. This is an opportunity to reach out to local groups and ask for suggestions of how your residents could be involved.  The local soup kitchens and pantries need food donations, schools are seeing their budgets cut and could use book and school supply donations as well as volunteers in the class rooms; Salvation Army and Red Cross need our help. Homeless shelters need PJ’s and other items.  This is our time! We have huge hearts! Please select an organization and commit through out 2009 to helping any way you can.  Your residents can offer great suggestions. Some communities are making gift baskets to send to the troops or knitting baby blankets for local hospitals. There are hundreds of ways to get involved and all you have to do is ask the organization’s what their needs are. Look in your phone book for a comprehensive list of organizations. Your local library will also have a list of organizations.  What Better Way to Honor Activity Professionals Week than Giving As Unselfishly As We Have Always Done!  

NCCDP Declares February 14th to the 21st 2009 as Alzheimer’s and Dementia Staff Education Week

In effort to bring awareness to the importance of both staff educators and their direct care staff being trained and certified in dementia care by means of interactive face to face class room environment, the NCCDP has declared February 14th to the 21st 2009 as Alzheimer’s and Dementia Staff Education Week.  Currently there are no national standards for dementia education. The regulations are different from state to state. The National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners recommends at minimum 8 hours of dementia education to all staff. Through out the year, additional dementia education should be provided that incorporates new advances, culture change and innovative ideas.

In honor of this week the NCCDP has prepared an elaborate Tool Kit. The free Tool Kit is available for download beginning December 15th 2008. The Tool Kit will include Free dementia topic In-services (Power Point or Overhead). The in-services have been developed by Alzheimer’s Care Guide Magazine, Regional Nurses, Pharmacist, Social Workers, Activity Professionals and Administrators. The in-services are on a variety of dementia specific topics and each can be presented in 45 minutes.  The in-services include power point, post test, pre test and answers. Additionally the tool kit includes; 30 Ways to Recognize Alzheimer’s and Dementia Staff Education Week, 20 Reasons Why You Should Provide Comprehensive Alzheimer’s and Dementia Training to Your Staff Using Live Instructors, Dementia Word Search Games, Interactive Exercises, Movies and Books to use for Training, Proclamations, Sample Agenda for Opening Ceremony, Sample Letter to the Editor and Myths about Dementia Education and Alzheimer’s dementia education poster. For more information visit: www.nccdp.org

During this week, the NCCDP is sponsoring a contest for the nurse educators to participate in. Prizes will be awarded for the types of comprehensive and innovated dementia education provided to the staff during that week. See www.nccdp.org for details which is located in the Tool Kit.

Certifications

Activity Professional Certfications:
Are You Certified? It is recommended that all activity professionals are certified as a Certified Activity Assistant (AAC) or Certified Activity Director (ADC). The process is easier than you think.  Certification is through the www.nccap.org  National Certification Council of Activity Professionals.  There are several tracks to follow and you can download the application at www.nccap.org.    Activity professionals will need to complete the MEPAP 180 hour course. To find instructors in your state please click on the web site. Some instructors may be willing to hold the seminar in your facility and might offer a free seat if you offer to host the class.  Additionally, there are MEPAP correspondence courses and online MEPAP courses making it even easier to take the MEPAP course and obtain your certification. In some states the ADC is required.  This is possibly the greatest gift you can give your self if you intend to stay in long term care. Invest in yourself!

Dementia Certifications for Health Care Professionals:
Another certification is Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. They have several tracks to follow as well to obtain certification.  All tracks require completing the Alzheimer’s and dementia seminar by an approved NCCDP trainer. The trainers are listed on the web site. Seminars are also posted on the web site.  If your facility is interested, the NCCDP can bring the Alzheimer’s and dementia training to your facility.  Additionally, there are new certifications. Certified Dementia Care Manager (CDCM) is a new certification for Dementia Unit Managers.  If you currently provide trainings and seminars, The NCCDP offers Train the Trainer seminars and provides all the materials for the trainer to conduct Alzheimer’s and dementia seminars either in house or hold private seminars in the community. All certifications require 10 ceus every two years. The CEUS are available for free on the web site.  However, you will need a subscription to Alzheimer’s Care Guide magazine to read the articles. This can be a facility subscription and shared by the employees. http://www.care4elders.com/care4elders-ed%20magazines-ACG.htm If you are a current member of NCCDP, magazines are offered at a discount to membership. 
 For more information about Alzheimer’s and dementia seminars or certifications please contact www.nccdp.org nationalccdp@aol.com

Activity Professionals Week - Enter the Activity Professional Tribute Contest

Activity Professionals Week is January 18th to the 23rd. In honor of all that you do to improve the quality of lives for those you serve, we are again sponsoring the Activity Profession Tribute contest. We received hundreds of entries last year and placed many of them on the web site to inspire you and provide you with your own ideas when creating your tribute.

Activity Professionals, volunteers, residents and long term care employees are asked to submit a poem or tribute about the Activity Profession to: Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care.  Deadline to SUBMIT is January 10th 2009. All entries must be submitted via email to activitytherapy@aol.com  The winner will be notified by phone and email prior to January 21st.  This tribute is not about a specific person but rather about the Activity Department and Profession in general.  Please see the tributes submitted in 2006 & 2007 to see past entries to inspire you or to view as examples. You are welcome to print past entries to place in your facility newsletter or bulletin boards.  The entries received in 2009 will be judged and the winner will be the 2008 Activity Profession Tribute winner. All entries will be posted on the web site. No entries will be returned. We do not correct spelling, so be sure to use spell check before submitting. The entry should be no longer than one page. We reserve the right to not post any entries that we deem not suitable for the web site. All entries must be an original tribute by the person making the entry. By submitting your entry you are giving permission to post on the Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care Web site and other publications. All entries must be original and by the author who is submitting the entry.

Ways to honor your staff during Activity Professional Week

by Sandra Stimson CALA ADC CDP CDCM
Executive Director
Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care

1. Create a unique banner using a slogan your staff or residents recommends.
2. Pay for membership to NAAP National Association of Activity Professionals for all of your staff.
3. Send one of your staff to NAAP national convention.
4. Send your staff to state association conference.
5. Provide gift cards to movies, grocery store, restaurants and other stores.
   
6. Put up your agenda for the week that lists the special events you have planned for your department for residents and other staff to view.
7. Ask residents, volunteers to submit letters about how your department improves quality of life and share at a special planned event.
8. Make a donation on behalf of your department.
9. Create a Hall Of Fame. Have an Activity Professional of The Year. Put name on plaque. Provide a trophy or plaque to this individual; provide awards such as a day off for a 3 day weekend, certificate, and gift card. Ask vendors for award donations. Place article in town / city paper.
10. Host an empty bulletin board with the Theme “ How Does Activities Improve Quality of Life?” or any idea you might have. Leave pre cut out paper and pens and ask people to post their ideas.
11. Take staff to a sporting event, play, etc.
12. Have a Hero Sandwich Party because your department are Hero’s
13. Have a Lifesaver Award for that one person you really counted on through out the year. Provide a certificate that says “Than you. You have been a life saver this whole year.” Attach role of Lifesaver.
14. Order from Hershey candy bars with “Activity Profession Week”. You can ask them to imprint anything you like.   
15. Create a Activity Trivia Game.  Involve your staff and create questions and answers about activities you provide, benefits, words associated with activities.
16. Create a scavenger hunt involving words associated with activities and each day have a winner.
17. Ask all the departments to participate in creating a display abut the activity department.    
18. Make a Video / DVD of all the activities for the year and play it in the lobby.
19. Make a 3 panel display board with pictures highlighting events held through out the entire year. To make it even more fun, you can purchase small buttons to records short messages about each event and will play when pressed.
20. Provide personalized mugs. You can purchase mugs with people’s names on it or order the theme name for Activity Professionals Week promotions catalogues.
21. Send Fruit Baskets to each activity professional in your department. Edible Arrangements are now in most states are fun to receive.
    
22. Cover desks with balloons.
23. Have a Activity Olympics Games:  Each day have a different fun program you will be doing.
24. Each day provide a different breakfast item from Bagels, Donuts, Fresh Fruit
25. Designate one specific day and take out to lunch and be sure the Administrator comes.
26. Provide a custom made banner that pays tribute to the Activity Department.
27. Purchase the promotional items and give to the staff.
28. Give an individual Thank You card to each activity professional. 
29. Put up balloons that have a tribute to the professions all over the building.
30. Have a party with the residents and all staff one day during the week.
31. Provide Activity pins for Activity Professional Week.
32. Send an editorial to your local paper about what your Activity Department provides.
33. Put up a table in the lobby showcasing all the activities you do. Place pictures on 3 panel display boards.
34. Ask the residents to write poems about what Activities means to them.
35. Submit a tribute about the activity profession to www.activitytherapy.com
36. Pay for membership in your state association for your staff.
37. Allow paid time to attend the local state association meetings.
38. Allow (paid leave) staff to attend the state convention.
39. Pay for a seminar. Or reimburse once they attend.
40. Write about each person in your department and place in the facility newsletter.
41. Take a picture of each person and place in a frame and high light them during the week.
42. Create a word search for staff and residents using all the words that define the profession.
43. Give a corsage or flowers. 
    
44. If approved, allow them to leave early on Friday.
45. Put up tributes written by other professionals. See www.activitytherapy.com
46. Ask Administrator and DON to make a speech about activities during your party.
47. Ask the Ombudsman to attend the party and make a speech about activities.
48. Ask the resident council president to make a speech about activities.
49. Ask the Volunteers to participate in the party as generally they support and work for your department.
50. If you are with a large corporation, ask the owners to acknowledge Activity Professionals during Activity Professional Week.
51. Gift certificates to stores or movies or restaurants. 
52. Pay for your staff to attend the MEPAP courses to obtain their certification.
53. Recognize the CNA’s who have supported your Activity Department.
54. Submit your staff for awards with your state activity association and national activity association for Outstanding Activity Professional of The Year.
55. Order new activity books for each of your staff. 
56. Purchase new Activity Care Plan Books for each staff member.
57. Ask your staff to give you a wish list and meet with your administrator to see if any of these items can be purchased for your department. Surprise them during this special week.
58. Order new desk items and calendars. 
59. Host an Open House in your department and serve refreshments and invite families, staff, residents and volunteers to come.  Invite other activity staff and directors in the area.
60. Invite a guest speaker who  has topics that are ceu approved to present to your staff.
61. Purchase subscriptions for each employee to receive online Activity newsletters.
62. Give a piece of paper pre printed with the numbers 1 through 200. Give the residents or staff in-service 20 minutes to write down as many types of activities and theme names you provide through out the year.
63. Toot Your Own Horn! During This Week, showcase your department by providing a facility wide in-service. Explain what your department provides and provide the calendars.  If you have a video of your department would be great.
64. Create an Amazing Activity Race Game that will take all week to complete.  Create clues that will take the person to a destination where another clue is planted. Clues could be: This is the place our residents go to smell the flowers.  The answer could be the patio. Once they get to that location there could be easy challenges to complete, like unscrambling a word. Once they unscramble a word they could see the business manager for the next clue or the president of the resident council. There you would plant another clue, etc. Who ever gets to the finish line first wins a prize.  But this could take a week, don’t make it too easy. 
65. Purchase a spices and attach a note “You’re the Spice Of Our Resident’s Life”
66. Purchase Bumper Stickers with your slogan for Activity Professionals Week
67. Ask Families To Share Success Stories About Their Loved One and The Role Your Department Played In Their Success.
68. Dedicate a flower bed in honor of the Activity Profession and Quality of Life.
69. Feature your staff pictures and present their bios, tenure, accomplishments and achievements in a slide show or put on a video.
70. Present candy canes at Christmas / Holidays with a note attached that says “You’re worth stripes to our residents.”
71. Invite the President of the state Activity Association to a luncheon with your staff.
72. Send peppermint candies with a note attached “You’re worth a mint to the residents.”
73. Provide a box of cookies in a pretty box with wrapping paper and bows for each staff member. Check with your local bakery.
74. Provide a candle for each activity professional with a note that says “You light up the residents life.”    
75. Honor your Activity Director with a card, flowers or just say Thank You. 
    

Resources for adding to Activity Professionals Week

Create Your Own Banner for Activity Professionals Week at 
http://activitytherapy.makesparties.com/Catalog.aspx?intDisplayableCategoryID=1561

Order Promotional Items from:
Positive Promotions Catalogue
http://www.positivepromotions.com/category.asp?c=3001&bhcd2=1228274701

Purchase a subscription for each of your staff for the magazine:

Current Activities-The Activity Professional Magazine.
http://www.activities4elders.com/

Activity Books and Care Plan Books see
www.activitytherapy.com

Bumper Stickers
http://www.4bumperstickers.com/?gclid=CLH8oIrCpZcCFQgRFQod2C9f_Q

Activity Department Promotional Products
http://www.activitystuff.com

The NAAP Conference Dates

Activities Soaring to New Heights”
Albuquerque, New Mexico
April 22-25, 2009
Hotel Albuquerque Old Town

"Caring By Design"
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 14-17, 2010
Hilton Milwaukee City Center

"Activities......An Ocean of Possibilities"
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
March 30-April 2, 2011
Sheraton at the Convention Center

National Activity Professionals Week January 18-23 2009

NAAP purpose of the week is the focus, education and promotion of activity professionals as well as why this week is established. NAAP has free promotional information that can be obtained by calling the office or emailing them. thenaap@aol.com  865 453 9914  www.thenaap.com  Follow this link for their suggestions for theme ideas, sample proclamation, drop in suggestions and web site resources http://www.thenaap.com/templates/section-view/20/index.html and download everything as it is a free resource. Be sure to call them for their tool kit.
NAAP has put together a great fun idea, Activity Matching Game: Click here to download

http://www.thenaap.com/templates/section-view/20/index.html

Past Tributes

We Are Activity Professionals
by
Sandra Stimson CALA, ADC, CDP

We Are Activity Professionals!
Big hearts, huge bright smiles and enormous compassion,
Creative, innovative and dynamic personalities.
We are blessed to have found this profession!
We Are Activity Professionals!
We don’t know how to say “no”! We aim to please at personal sacrifice.
Long days, hectic schedules and stressful events.
We love all of this!
We Are Activity Professionals!
Regulatory changes, tougher surveys and changing populations.
As a group like no other, we evolve, learn and adapt.
We are a tough group and can handle this like no other profession!
We Are Activity Professionals!
They say, “I could never do what you do” and you know what,
They are right!
“They, could never do all that you do!”

We Are Activity Professionals!
Phones ringing, many interruptions and endless demands.
But we demand more ourselves and ask for little in return.
No one can handle all that we do in one day!
We Are Activity Professionals!
Humanity, compassion, humor and strong moral work ethics,
We are the memory creators and the heart of every community.
We are the photo albums filled with new memories!

We Are Activity Professionals!

------------------------------------------

Thank You!
Thank you for all that you do to improve the quality of life for those who matter the most, your residents! They appreciate it!
Thank you for all your creativity. The residents are thankful.
Thank you for the extra effort you put in to each day.
Thank you for helping out in the dining rooms for meal programs. They need you! The nursing staff does appreciate it!
Thank you for all the special trips and community events. They love being a part of the community.
Thank you for all the effort you put into your volunteer program, it definitely does not happen with out you!
Thank you for smiling even when you don't feel like it.
Thank you for spending time with those residents who can not come out of their rooms. They especially appreciate the pet visits.
Thank you for a great survey. It takes your entire team and a dynamic program.
Thank you for giving all of your self.
Thank you for filling the resident's days with meaningful activities.
Thank you for pushing so hard to get extra special programs approved. The extra effort paid off!
Thank you for all the extra hours you put into planning and implementing elaborate events. It was appreciated!
Thank you for attending seminars and association meetings, even when sometimes you have to use vacation days.
Thank you for supporting other activity professionals.
Thank you for taking a chance and trying something new.
Thank you for dressing up for all those holidays.
Thank you for all the hugs and love you give to them.
Thank you for developing all the children's programs.
Thank you for all the spiritual programs, because it means more to them at this point in their life.
But most of all Thank You for dedicating your life to this very special profession, Activity Professionals! We can't imagine any facility with out you!
by: Sandra Stimson
 Executive Director
Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care

----------------------------------------------------

2007 WINNER OF ACTIVITY PROFESSION TRIBUTE
2007 Winning Entry- Christine Gerard  Activity Director Spring Hills at Hunters Creek Florida 
Tribute Honorable Mention- Melanie Kaufman Unsung Hero

We Are The Chosen Few
We Are Activity Professionals
A- We are the Action figures of our communities.
C- We are the Committed angels for our residents
T- We are the Teachers of new realities.
I- We are the Innovators of new directions.
V- We are the Vision for a new tomorrow.
I- We are the Inspirational dreamers.
T - We are the Tenderness in a soft tissue.
Y- We are the Yearning for the love that is lost.
P- We are the Pupils of yesterday’s teachers.
R- We are the Reward for a smiling face.
O- We are the Oracle for outstanding wisdom.
F- We are the Flicker that burns brightly.
E- We are the Enduring for ever eternal.
S- We are the Season of Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter.
S- We are the Seekers of knowledge of timeless moments.
I- We are the Interns of endless memories & new beginnings.
O- We are the Orchestra in the theater of life.
N- We are the Navigators to steer us on our journey.
A- We are the Apprentice of the art of loving, listening, & the power of sight.
L- We are Labyrinth of intricate mazes & puzzles to labor our quest.
S- We are the Savior who delivers reassurance by our tender voices, by our watchful eyes, and our sense of energetic action.

Christine Gerard

----------------------------------------------------

HONORABLE MENTION

The Unsung Hero.
 
The unsung hero,
The Jack of all trades.
Someone to talk to, at the start of each day.
A waiter or waitress,
A confidant and a friend.
Someone who's integrity never shall bend.
 
A cup of coffee,
Or even a smile,
Helps to make each and ever life worth while.
 
Sometimes misunderstood, or even unclear.
It matters not-
We still persevere.
Armed with out charm, or wit, and compassion.
A natural talent, unable to fashion.
 
Out love for our residents runs so tried and so true,
Our morals unfiltered, and never askew.
 
Through thick and thin-
In times of both joy and sorrow,
We bring the hope of a better tomorrow.
 
In times of pain, and in times of strife,
Activity professionals contribute to a better quality of life.
We're selfless and kind,
Our humor provides many a lift,
But most of all, our careers are a gift!

Ferncliff Nursing Home
Melanie Kaufmann, Activity Specialist

----------------------------------------------------

Susan Winder Rivera winner of the 2006 (submitted in 2007)
 Activity Profession Tribute.

Our call is one most extraordinary
First we try to figure out
What it is a resident's truly about-
Involving the body, the mind, and the soul
We fill the assessment, develop a goal
We look at the person
and not the dis-ease
We don't want to label
we want to perceive
In the calm of the storm
one can usually see
what a person can manifest
and what they can be,
beyond limitations, unwanted adulterations
beyond morbid fascinations and unheld screams
A higher calling cries out to be heard
in the melancholy scenes.

It may be the heart
It may be the bones,
It may be the blood
or the brain's chemicals

when the dancer stops dancing through the loss of a limb
we map out and modify
for the resident to win
the original thrill
returned to it's source
back to the fork in the road
before things went off course...

We enliven, enrich, embrace, and encourage
we remove elements that cause to discourage
We enlighten and energize
the lost and forgotten
fan their flames, call their names
deny their Armageddon.

We are teachers, counselors, a healing balm
The soother, the smoother
of things gone wrong
We overcome obstacles beyond comprehension
our course need be steady, beyond apprehension

Our purpose is higher
than the eye can see
and although we do appear quite commonly,
Our call is one most extraordinary.


Susan Winder-Rivera, ADC
Director Therapeutic Recreation
Grand Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Bronx, New York

----------------------------------------------------

To see other submissions please click on http://www.activitytherapy.com/tribute2007.htm

----------------------------------------------------

Other fantastic tributes that have touched our hearts and are classics are the following:

The Most Creative Job In The World
By Rosemary Beddingfield
Courtesy of Briggs Corporation

It involves love and caring, recreation,
education, leadership, entertainment, handicrafts,
art cuisine,  horticulture, literature,
a sense of humor, intelligence, training,
community relations, weekends & evenings,
transportation, counseling, evaluating,
enthusiasm, decision making, diplomacy,
meetings, planning, purchasing,
accounting, management, religion, psychology,
hard work, daring creative thinking,
theatrics, dexterity, music, physical fitness,
patience and energy.

Anyone who can handle all these
has to be someone special.

Than someone is an
Activity Director

----------------------------------------------------

Activity Pest
by Suzanne Williams - Activity Director
Why to they come to my door
and ask, "Do you want to play Bingo?"
No, I'll pass!
Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?
Now leave quietly, without a peep!
Who is back the very next day?
"Would you like a manicure?"
I say, "Okay".
Or I tell her, "Maybe I will on another day."
Ah! She's gone - there is quiet - all right!
Now, it's just me and The Price is Right.
Knock, knock! Can you guess?
Yep! She's back - the Activity Pest!
"We're having a party. Please, won't you come?
"If I go this time, will you leave me alone?"
She tries to get me in the mood
And bribes me with a little food.
So I tag along- to this party I go.
There are people dancing, and what do you know?
I'm talking and eating and enjoying the show!
I guess these activities aren't so bad.
In fact, the party helped me forget feeling sad.
So, if you get a knock on your door
And it's the Pest, try not to ignore.
Believe it or not, her intentions are right.
To get us out of our rooms
And into the spotlight.

----------------------------------------------------

Activity Professionals....
Conduct more interviews than......Jay Leno
Do enough exercise to be on ..... Sportsworld
Put on as many specials as..... Bob Hope
Ad Lib as much as.... Joan Rivers
Play as many games as..... Sesame Street
Know as much trivia as the contestants do on..... Jeopardy
Live through as many family traumas as...... Dallas
Deal with as much illness as..... General Hospital
Have as much compassion as .... Little House on the Prairie
Analyze current events like...... The Today Show
And we are ready to go into reruns at any time!
Above and beyond all of this, we must....
Sing like.... Kate Smith
Play the piano like..... Peter Nero
Do stand up comedy like..... George Burns
M.C. Like George Jessel
Act like.... Katerhine Hepburn
Edit newspapers like..... William Randolph Hearst
Read like..... Orson Wells
And do bulletin boards like...... Norman Rockwell

----------------------------------------------------

An Activity Professional’s Prayer
By, Dolores Pringle,
Director of Activity ~
Bishop McCarthy Residence

Dear Lord,
Give me the strength to stimulate today
those that are placed within my care.
Help me to lift their sorrow,
and erase their pain
And brighten their lonesome way.

Grant me the patience to listen with ease,
To the same story they told me yesterday.
Help me to maintain their dignity
by judging not their
repetition and forgetfulness, please.

Empower me Lord, with Your kind and gentle ways -
As to understand, to love and inspire.
Guide me pleasantly through their reminiscence
As back into their lovely lives I gaze.

Help me hear with ears of fond appreciation
and to see through their experienced eyes of wisdom.
Allow me to open my heart with gratitude
For, they are the ones that struggled for our Great Nation.

Allow me keep an open mind to all the newest resources -
So I can fully understand the gravity of it all.
To Inspire, to challenge, to sing and to dance!
And keep me to yearning for all the latest therapeutic courses.
Provide me with the fortitude to call the BINGO balls,
And allow my hands to manipulate,
to imaginatively design and create.
Lord, help me to keep abreast of the latest
therapeutic techniques
And give me daily vigor,
to energetically travel these halls.

So here I am Dear Lord,
Your devoted Activity Professional, in quest of Your aide.
Take my hand and lead me
productively through this Nursing Home.

Guide me onward to do this work
with a happy heart and flight of feet.
For I know there is a special place for us ~
because, that’s why Heaven was made.

Amen

----------------------------------------------------

Are There Activities in Heaven, Lord?
by Marilyn Steadman
Dear Lord, I sometimes think about the residents who have gone.
The ones you chose to be with you, an not linger on.
Does Marjorie get a rose each week? Is it yellow, white or read?
Does she still enjoy her soup each day, and have books beside her bed?
Does Anita still write in her journal about heaven and each passing day?
Are there plenty of word puzzles for her to work out? I miss her since she went away.
The Yellow Rose of Texas is what Bill would love to hear.
If the angels sing that song for him, he would grin from ear to ear.
Does Veronica chat with the angels? Does she wear that big straw hat?
It had flowers all around it. I can still picture that.
Does Mary get to go bowling? It's what she really likes.
She'd get so thrilled and excited each time she'd bowl a strike.
Does Al still like to "people watch"? Is he watching us down here?
Could you tell him that his wife's okay, but wishes he were near.
And sweet little Annie loved bingo. So if it was all the same,
Could you start a group up there? It was her favorite game.
Doe they miss my activities as much as I miss them?
Do they sometimes smile down on me, and see me once again?
I think about them often, Lord, And how they touched my life.
I know that they are all just fine, and have no pain or strife.
You took them all to be with You, and this I understand.
But are there activities in Heaven, Lord?
If there are, that would be just grand!

----------------------------------------------------

The Ten Commandments of Bingo

1. Thou shall not sit in thy neighbor's lucky seat.
2. Thou shall not stare at thy neighbor's card.
3. Thou shall not use the caller's name in vain.
4. Thou shall not holler false bingo.
5. Thou shall not wish bad luck on thy neighbor.
6. Thou shall not threaten the caller.
7. Thou shall not steal thy husband's money for bingo.
8. Thou shall not lie about how much thou won.
9. Thou shall not lie about how many thou lost.
10. Thou shall not use profanity when thy neighbor wins.

----------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL THERAPEUTIC RECREATION WEEK
CELEBRATION SONG

LYRIC BY ARNOLD S. IDELSON CTRS, LCAT, CPRP

(FOR TR PARTICIPANTS TO SING, TO THE TUNE OF
" WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN")

IT’S TR WEEK,
IT’S TR WEEK,
THERA-PEUTIC, REC-RE-ATION WEEK, _____
WEL-COME, TO OUR CEL-E –BRA-TION, ____
FOR THERA-PEUTIC, REC-RE-ATION WEEK______

WE DO THE THINGS, WE LIKE TO DO, ___
BINGO, BOWLIN, CERAMICS, AND BAR-BE-CUE, _______
WEL-COME, TO OUR CEL-E –BRA-TION, ______
FOR THE QUALITY LIFE, AND HEALTH, THAT TR BRINGS.

IT’S TR WEEK,
IT’S TR WEEK,
THERAPEUTIC, REC-RE-ATION WEEK, _____
WEL-COME, TO OUR CEL-E –BRA-TION, ____
FOR THERA-PEUTIC, REC-RE-ATION WEEK______

WE DO THE THINGS, WE LIKE TO DO, ___
COM-PU-TERS, SINGIN, PAINTIN, AND SU-DU-KU, _______
WEL-COME, TO OUR CEL-E –BRA-TION, ______
FOR THE QUALITY LIFE, AND HEALTH, THAT TR BRINGS.

----------------------------------------------------

You know you're an
activity professional when......
By: Colorado Activity Professionals Association

You find yourself humming "In the Mood".
You have the will and you find the way.
You get on the city bus and start a sing-a-long.
You can stretch a dime into a dollar.
You smile sweetly and say "thanks" when a fifth set of '89 National Geographics are being donated.
Your "work" becomes "home" , but you still take your work home.
The medicine you dispense is hugs and kisses.
You miss your flight while helping an elderly lady find her gate.
You choose your clothes based on what the residents will like.
Impossible is not in your vocabulary.

----------------------------------------------------

  A is for Activity Director

By Shawn Mimna, Facility Administrator
A is for your Ability to make our residents smile
C is for Continually improving our resident's and family satisfaction
T is for all your Terrific decorations
I is for Inspiring new activities staff and students
V is for your Very unique ideas
I is for always treating our residents as Individuals
T is for Tirelessly going above and beyond
Y is for You and everything you to do make everyday life better for our residents!

D is for Directing your staff to go above and beyond the expected
I is for making sure our activities stay Interesting
R is for Respecting the role each department plays in resident care
E is for genuine Empathy you have for our residents and families
C is for Cooking so many special meals for our residents
T is for putting Teamwork above individual differences
O is for or you Organizational skills and Orchestrating fantastic parties
R is for always reminding all of us that the Residents always come first!

New Ideas

Touch Quilt Tea is an old idea with a twist. This comes from Canada. http://www.oltca.com/Library/LTC/1008Touch_Quilt.pdf

Resources

Free Great Resource-Activity Resource List

Golden Carers
They have unique ideas or some tried and true for dementia activities but there is a song, anyone ever heard of it “My Old Man is a Dustman”? This is an Austrailia web site.

Reminisce Article

Recreation Therapy Consultants See her article about involving team in escorting

Free- Barbara Smith has a page of pictures and brief descriptions to download and place in a binder for dementia residents to use. 

Free-Tons of printable word games and other games.

Activities Director

Therapeutic Story Telling 

Music For Alzheimer’s –Free- l

Activity Directors Office –See this link for great Alzheimer’s Ideas

National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners Free In-services

Alzheimer’s Poetry

Activity Access Web Site

Free Sheet Music

Squigly Play House

Activity Connection

Puzzle Maker

Activity Directors Quarterly

Therapy Resources

Activity Director Network Classroom

Recycled Birdhouse Company

Coloring Therapy

Dyenamic Movement

Memoir Writing by Blue Tree Books