| Winter
Newsletter 2004 |
In
This Issue:
1) Big
Announcement for Activity Professionals
2)
New Products
3)
Alternative Exercise Programs
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| Big
Announcement for Activity Professionals |
National Council
of Certified Activity Professionals www.nccap.org
announced a new track to follow for those
activity professionals seeking certification
as Activity Directors and Activity Assistants.
It is recommended that all activity professionals
receive certification as a Certified Activity
Assistant or Certified Activity Director.
They list instructors for the MEPAP 1 and
MEPAP 2, which is the required course for
those seeking certification. They also list
a company who provides this course on line
for those individuals living in states where
the course is not offered. For more information
please contact NCCAP. For activity professionals
in NJ, the course will be offered in the
spring and can visit our web site for information
at www.activitytherapy.com
National Council
of Certified Dementia Practitioners is having
their next annual Train the Trainer program
in NJ on May 14th 2005. This course is recommended
for In-service directors and corporate training
who wish to begin dementia training in their
facilities. The course will provide overhead
copies, power point, Communication Video,
5 textbooks and handouts. The course provides
all the necessary tools to implement a comprehensive
training program for your staff. Seating
is limited and early registration is recommended
at www.nccdp.org They also have a great newsletter
that you can sign up for. They are seeking
long term care facilities to take the pledge
towards educating the staff about dementia
through corporate sponsorship. Staff must
be certified or licensed in a health care
profession, complete dementia training and
have at minimum 3 years experience in health
care before applying for certification as
a Certified Dementia Practitioner. If you
are interested in certification and have
met these requirements please visit the web
site for a CDP application.
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| PARTY
SUPPLIES |
 Thousands of party goods! See our full line of party
accessories and novelties including lightropes
& glow products, hats, maracas, decorating
kits, paper goods, gifts and much more!
Click
here for more details.
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| WEB
SITE DEVELOPMENT |
Do
you or your organization need a web site? Alternative
Solutions uses compuTR Web Designs & Hosting.
Click Here.
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If you are looking
for our past issues, they are posted on our site, Many
have asked for a copy of the Ethics Newsletter, which
is now posted at www.activitytherapy.com
Sandra Stimson,
CALA, CDP, ADC
Executive Director
Lisa Reidinger,
CSW, LNHA, CDP, CTRS
Executive Director
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| CONTACT |
|
Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care
103 Valley View
Trail
Sparta, N.J. 07871
973.729.6601
URL: www.activitytherapy.com
Email: 
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| REMOVAL
INSTRUCTIONS |
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this list, please
click here.
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Featured Article:
Alternative Exercise Programs
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The number one question that
activity professionals ask is “should we offer ball
toss programs?” Our answer is no. The reasons are
many. The most important reason we give is that we should
not be throwing anything at anyone with a dementia diagnosis
because they are slow to respond. Often times, our good
intentions results in the ball missing their hands and
landing in their face or head. The other reason is that
most activity professionals have groups of 10 or more residents
who need to be engaged in exercise. Ball toss engages only
one person at one time, leaving the group to wait for their
turn to catch the ball.
There are many alternatives
to ball toss, balloon toss, basketball, etc. One alternative
is the use of a Parachute. A parachute can engage all of
your residents in the group at the same time. It is colorful
and stimulating. You can purchase a parachute in several
sizes at Flaghouse Catalogue.
Another program would be the
use of props at each exercise program. Added to stimulating
salsa music, this program is sure to be a success. Suggested
props could be maracas, top hats, wands, ribbons, streamers,
scarves, batons, canes, clackers and tapping sticks. All
available at www.activitytherapy.makesparties.com The residents
have rare opportunities to use their hands. By providing
props during your exercise program, helps to strengthen
their hands, provides a visual to watch the leader of the
group and engages the entire group at one time.
Other types of exercise can
be Tai Chi, forms of Yoga, low impact exercise, walking
out doors program and as a last resort, exercise videos.
Each exercise program should have a creative name attached
to it. Exercise should be offered as the 1st activity of
the day because it helps to slowly wake them up and stimulate
them. A follow up program to exercise could be a sing a
long that would be a great segway into your lunch dining
program. You can visit activitytherapy.com and view a sample
dementia calendar for great ideas for naming your exercise
programs.
All residents should be provided
wipes before beginning the exercise program. The exercise
program should last about 30 minutes but monitor your group
for anyone who is over exerting himself or herself. Provide
refreshments before beginning next program. It is recommended
that you provide exercise in the morning and late afternoon
for dementia residents. Dementia residents with a history
of wandering should be encouraged to exercise throughout
the day so they will be tired at the end of the day and
sleep during the night.
Winterwonderland: Before putting
those Christmas trees away, why not take the Christmas
decorations off and place all the trees together. Add white
lights only. Place cotton batting around the trees and
white fluff on the trees. Add twig deer from your Christmas
supply outlets. You can purchase red cardinals from party
stores. Have a contest after the trees have been up for
a week and have all your departments participate. Each
department would be assigned a tree and they are to depict
what their department provides to the facility and residents.
Have the resident’s vote on the tree that is most
creative, theme related and beautiful. The challenge is
not to use any Christmas decorations. Activities could
create people out of clay that hold signs depicting all
that you do such as, Bingo, Reminisce, Exercise, etc. Dietary
could place tea bags, sugar packets, forks, etc. The ideas
or endless and this program is great fun.
All of our staff at Alternative
Solutions in Long Term Care wishes your staff and residents
a safe and healthy new year.
Lisa Reidinger LNHA, CSW, CTRS,
CDP
Executive Director
and
Sandra Stimson CALA, ADC, CDP
Executive Director
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| New Products: |
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Triangle Clothing Store offers a wide array of clothing
line for the nursing home and assisted living resident. You
still have time to order products and receive by Christmas
at www.activitytherapy.com
Alzheimer’s and
Dementia Store is new at www.activitytherapy.com
We provide great resources and links on all aspects of dementia.
Creating Moments of
Joy Book, which is a must when teaching
Communication. The book provides tips and suggestions for
your dementia residents who ask repeated questions and fantastic
solutions. Many staff are unsure of what to say and Creating
Moments of Joy book shows how to enter their reality and
provide answers to repeated questions. Order at www.activitytherapy.com
Spiritual Assessment
Forms to be used during your initial
assessments to determine their faith and beliefs. www.activitytherapy.com
Care plan Cook Book
2 for Activity Professionals provides
innovative care plans to be used with all your populations
but especially the dementia residents. Care plans are on
a wide range of behaviors and problems. A must have for all
Activity Directors and for staff who attend the care conferences
and responsible for documentation. Available at www.activitytherapy.com
Sensory Enrichment Program
Book has excellent suggestions
for sensory and tactile programs for your dementia and low
functioning residents. www.activitytherapy.com
Moment of Joy
A smile, a connection…a moment
of joy! The founder of Baby Einstein Videos, recently sold her company
to Disney. She has begun a new company called Memory Lane
with a new product line of reminisce videos for Dementia.
The first in the series to come is called, Family. Family
is a nostalgic stroll through family life, from marriage,
starting a family, birthday parities, baseball games, graduation
and special times. It is an uplifting and entertaining video.
It is available while supplies last at www.activitytherapy.com
Pleasant videos
We have added to our web site,
36 more new reminisence and relaxation videos and dvds
by East Coast Motion Pictures. The videos
are recommended for your dementia populations. We have
many titles to add to your video collection,
such as Winterfest, Snowflakes, Sleigh riding, Night Snowfall,
A Cat Show, A Trip to the Museum, Video Bingo caller in English
and Spanish, An Afternoon of Dance, Trains and many more
titles. Available only at www.activitytherapy.com
Digital Aquarium has two videos on our site, one of beautiful
soothing music set to a background of Aquarium fish. The
other is Turtles and shows scenes of turtles swimming in
the ocean. Both recommended as relaxation and reminiscing
for your dementia population.
Dementia Calendars. If you’re
looking for fresh ideas for your dementia unit or dementia
population,
we have done
the work for you. We offer activities by the half hour and
7 days a week. The calendars are theme related while offering
consistency. The dementia calendars are success oriented,
failure free, purposeful and meaningful. We offer innovative
ideas and creative calendars. Visit our web site at www.activitytherapy.com to view a sample calendar. Additionally, we offer low functioning
calendars, high functioning calendars and adult day care.
Coming in early spring, Therapeutic Recreation calendar for
your Rehab residents.
Dates to Remember: We offer all the dates, holidays, religious
events, long term care dates, birthdays, anniversaries for
the entire 2005 calendar year. The dates to remember is offered
at 14.95 compared to books you can purchase that sell for
over 60.00. Download this necessary tool that will help you
in planning ahead your 2005 activities.
Volunteer Management
Essentials for Long Term Care Book offers all the tools you need to run a successful volunteer
program. The book contains policies, recognition suggestions,
welcome packet and more. Available at www.activitytherapy.com
Pet Express Pet Therapy
Book provides all the information
and forms to begin a pet therapy and intergenerational program
for your facility. The book provides information on how to
start, where to find the children to volunteer, what kinds
of pets you can accept, tips on running the program and resources.
Party Catalogue at wholesale prices: You still have time
to order New Years Eve party supplies. We offer thousands
of products for parties, exercise and theme kits at wholesale
prices. If you are purchasing these products from party stores
and party catalogues you are paying for a product that has
a huge mark up. For example, we have maracas for fewer than
12.00 for a set of 24. That is a huge discount compared to
retail stores and retail catalogues. Stretch your budgets
further and visit our product line at www.activitytherapy.com and click on party supplies.
Sensory:
For residents with Dementia a Sensory room can offer
a quiet soothing environment away from the stress
of the long-term care unit. Please visit our web site for
Sensory products at www.activitytherapy.com
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Ethics Training
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There is a great new web site
that offers products to be incorporated into your ethics
training. They have beautiful Ethics posters and cards
to use for training. Additionally they have Bingo Ethic
games and Word Games to be used for in-services training.
There are also posters about bullying. Add this web site
to your list of favorite sites. ethicsresourcecompany.com
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Employment and Job Opportunities
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Check out the health care positions.
If you’re looking for an effective place for your
job opening, please visit our web site. It’s easy
to post and ad and all ads stay up for over 60 days. www.activitytherapy.com but also with www.recreationtherapy.com.
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Jan 17-21 Activity Professionals Week
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To recognize the contributions
of activity professional to the well being of residents
in long term care, adult day
care, etc. For information, contact: Public Relations, National
Association of Activity Professionals. Central office. P.O.
Box 23909, Jackson, MS 39225. Phone: 601.853.3722. Email:
NAAP1@aol.com. Web: www.naap.net. Please write to activitytherapy@aol.com
for suggestions on ideas to honor your staff.
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Activity
Directory Resources