Bit of help and advice needed for an activity co-ordinator

[Time Traveller]

There may be lottery funding for cross generation activities - my local primary school got pupils tyo ask an older person to go in and play board games. The chiulodren had to look after the older person and offer them tea and biscuits. They also had to find out what games the older generation liked playing when they were young. Thye got funding for this. As far as I know, "toys and Games" is on the National Curriculum in Primary - maybe you could explore somethinhg similar with your nearest primary school?
Secondary schools and primary do "The home front in WW2" so that is somethinhg else that scvhool children could talk to older people about - maybe over a cuppa again.

I like the idea mentioned earlier of getting old photos from a newspaper archive to get the residents to reminisce - a museum would also have these and would value having detais added to what they know about the photos.

Its lovely that you are so involved in your job, I think that whatever you come up with will be great, becvause you are obviously enthusiastic!!

[susana53]

Hello from a fellow activity co-ordinator. I agree that it is hard to keep everyone happy all of the time.....you just can't do it! I am freelance and visit 7 separate homes. I have my regular residents that join in everything, some join in if they are 'in the mood', and some never join us. Sometimes it's not that they don't want to but they just can't due to the level of their dementia. One lady often joins us but doesn't actually do what we're doing. If we're making cards for example, she will happily spend the hour sorting through
the box of cut out pictures, putting them in nice neat piles and then handing them to me with a big smile on her face. If we're knitting, she sorts through the bag of wool and needles, that are always in a bit of a mess. When we paint, she sorts out the spare paint brushes. I never ask her to do these things. She just does her own thing while the others get on and craft.
One of my ladies always sits and watches and is first in line to tidy up all the unwanted scraps of paper etc as we go. I can guarantee that I never have to do any tidying up at that home!
Just go with the flow. You may go with the intention of doing a particular activity and end up doing something completely different. It happens to me all the time, but I am always prepared with a back up 'just in case!'.

[creativesarah]

could you ask for a keyboard on freecycle or ask in your local paper then you could take it with you?

[weary1]

I like the less formal approaches - lots of 'rummage bags' on chairs - everyone should have one. Collections of baby clothes that need folding and putting away for storage. Things to sort and tidy. Dab radio to listen to old shows or Paul Temple (Radio 4 Extra)
Find out what everyone liked to do best when they could choose freely, have lots of books, papers and mags around - don't be too tidy and sterile. One home always played War songs when, considering the age of some of the people who lived there it should have been Elvis and the Beatles. Try to get a computer (Freecycle) and go to old haunts on Google Earth, Skype the relations, bring in school children. Activities are not just for groups I like to do my things on my own often - they may be folding towels or just being able to do something useful. One home in rural Wales has orphaned lambs in spring and the people who live in the home (often from farming backgrounds) look after them as well as the hens. Let me feel useful, give me responsibility somewhere to go, things to do. Try to get a broom cupboard decorate it as a nursery and put a chair and cot in there with a life-sized baby doll (very relaxing) is there room for a shed outside that can have bits in? When people worry remind them that risk assessments are not in place to prevent people doing the things they always did they are there to provide a framework to enable them to do things they didn't think they could, as safely as possible

[Misty activity]

Just remember you don't have to be taking part to be joining in..... I love watching people playing computer games but have no urge to join in etc. also try opening up your thinking abit. How often have you done your residents nails? How about letting them do yours, let them comb your hair instead of you doing there's. hope this helps