Hello, new to the chat. I have just accepted a job as an activity support worker at a care home for people diagnosed with Dementia. Just wondered if anyone would like to share any ideas/tips/advice to me. Start my new job in about a months time and want to make a difference. Karen
Does anyone have ideas for an activity coordinator please?
- Thread starter Living Doll
- Start date
Hi @Living Doll and welcome to Dementia Talking Point.
This is a very friendly and supportive place, but you probably will find that replies will trickle in over a few days rather than minutes.
Congratulations on your new job btw. Is there already someone doing the job that you will work along side as that will be a good starting point. The main thing I'd say is don't assume that everyone with dementia is alike. Try to find out what they like and dislike and what their interests were before they moved into care.
This is a very friendly and supportive place, but you probably will find that replies will trickle in over a few days rather than minutes.
Congratulations on your new job btw. Is there already someone doing the job that you will work along side as that will be a good starting point. The main thing I'd say is don't assume that everyone with dementia is alike. Try to find out what they like and dislike and what their interests were before they moved into care.
Welcome to the forum @Living Doll.
You might find some of these links useful -
www.alzheimers.org.uk
You might find some of these links useful -
Search | Alzheimer's Society
www.alzheimers.org.uk
Hi and welcome to DTP. Personal attention and tailoring activities to what the individual likes doing seems to work well in my wife's home. The co-ordinator does sometimes have activities for all to join in, such as entertainment, quizzes, bingo, games etc. but spends more time and gets better results by having 1 to 1 activities based on what she knows each of the residents likes and will respond to. That of course changes over time as dementia progresses. Creativity and making use of available resources (eg the Robert Opie series of Scrapbooks) are important. Adapting and simplifying games is another idea. Even just having a conversation about a person's life and interests is an activity that can make a big difference, especially if someone is new or unsettled. Seeing the person not the disease, finding out their interests and responding to these are all good practice. Knowing when to stop an activity when the person loses interest is important too.
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Oh I used to volunteer in one.
Different ideas for different levels of dementia if that makes sense.
The ladies LOVED singing. The oldies - Frank Sinatra, Dino, Elvis - even if they didn't know the words, we had a sing a long. We would dance too - even the patients in wheelchairs would join in.
Some liked gardening, so did that.
Some liked to walk around.
We would toss balloons around as a game.
Jigsaws (the big ones)
Card games (big cards - easy games)
Sometimes they just liked to sit and talk about the old days (one on one) or just sit and hold their hand in silence.
Good luck - amazing thing you are doing.
Different ideas for different levels of dementia if that makes sense.
The ladies LOVED singing. The oldies - Frank Sinatra, Dino, Elvis - even if they didn't know the words, we had a sing a long. We would dance too - even the patients in wheelchairs would join in.
Some liked gardening, so did that.
Some liked to walk around.
We would toss balloons around as a game.
Jigsaws (the big ones)
Card games (big cards - easy games)
Sometimes they just liked to sit and talk about the old days (one on one) or just sit and hold their hand in silence.
Good luck - amazing thing you are doing.
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@Izzy has provided a very useful link.
But don’t forget to use the search bar at the top of the page, activities coordinator, actives care home, activities worker, might be good terms to start your search. There is treasure on this forum, if you can but unearth it!
when in post don’t forget the power of marketing! Visiting families are judging this care home on the quality of its activities, so never lose sight of the fact that every activity must sound tempting and interesting.
But don’t forget to use the search bar at the top of the page, activities coordinator, actives care home, activities worker, might be good terms to start your search. There is treasure on this forum, if you can but unearth it!
when in post don’t forget the power of marketing! Visiting families are judging this care home on the quality of its activities, so never lose sight of the fact that every activity must sound tempting and interesting.
I saw a post on Instagram today about games for seniors and there were some great ideas with balloons, and balls. They were “Trustmephysiotherapist”
One suggestion I have is based on my mum when she was in a care home. She was not interested in any of the activities though she did sometimes take part - probably to please the co-ordinator - but she most likely gained some enjoyment despite herself. I felt that if she was asked to do a job to help the care staff she would have enjoyed that and particularly the feeling of being useful. It wouldn't necessarily have to be a real job but would have to seem real - maybe sorting some coloured pegs into separate colours as they've got mixed up again. I think this might be worth trying with those who don't engage in activities and perhaps say they are silly. As others have said you need to look at individuals alongside organising group activities. I hope you enjoy your new role - it is an important one.
The activities coordinator gets my OH to untangle string to “help” her. He feels this is a proper job, as he used to be a fisherman. He will only do painting and cutting out if she says it’s to help her with all the decorating she does in the home. It’s all hearts, champagne glasses and roses at the moment.
My Mum liked knitting, but when she lost the ability liked to watch me knit. She perhaps strangely enjoyed a session shoe cleaning - she has aksed me to do this when visiting, and joined in with gusto. I never let her near the polish, but she was very good at using the brushes. A job she remembered from her childhood. I also read children's books with her. Simple text with pictures - she had gone beyond being upset about them being for children, and with large simple text, could read along with her finger under the words. Factual books work well for this as it is less obvious that they are for children. I also saw folding of random items - could that be a job with laundry? We read poetry - often short so good for short attention span. One afternoon I darned some socks - a mending technique largely fallen out of use, and this psarked a lot of interest and questions from the ladies in the unit and the staff.
Thank you for your comments. Never thought about individuals not wanting to take part in activities. The idea of encouraging individuals to help me with simple jobs is fantastic. Already I am thinking about things like, folding the towels for a very simple suggestion. On your experience if one doesn't want to take part, as the new activity co-ordinator, is there anything I can do to change this and get them to enjoy the activities I intend running, just curious. I obviously will respect if they don't and find new tasks to involve them.
Wow....again fabulous information. Thank you for sharing. Have just ordered some books from "Reading Well Books on Prescription" which was in the Alzheimers booklet. I am putting together simple sewing/mending kits as we speak, as i have a lot of stuff I don't use personally. Is the poetry you read rhyming? I like the idea of shoe cleaning, again another simple job with added benefits - clean shoes. When you say your mum lost the ability to knit are you able to explain further? (Curious). Is a knitting activity a good idea?
May I ask why your mother never joined in? Was there activity co-ordinators there trying to encourage her? If your mother was in the new care home I shall be working in (very excited) - any tips how I can reach out to her so she gets fulfillment and joins in? or would she tell me and I would obviously respect her decision.
So i can see it is very important to talk deeply with the individual to find out there interests and come up with something relatable. Great idea about the string untangling - Is that strands of string? Should I ask the individual to "help" me - is that the best way to get a response.
I am overwhelmed with everyone's comments and ideas. Please keep them coming! You are all fantastic and from what I am reading, I can't wait to get excited in my new role. Thank you xxx
My mum loved joining in the activities when she was first in her care home, but as she progressed the activities became harder for her to do - even the simple ones. Eventually she was unable to do activities, but used to sit in the lounge and watch the group activities, which she seemed to enjoy and was enough stimulation for her.
One of the activities (not a group one) that the co-ordinator did was to put together Reminiscence Boxes - boxes containing items, pictures, models, etc that are designed to stimulate memories - which were given to a resident for them to rummage through, take things out and look at them. They could be general, designed around a particular theme (sewing, cooking DIY, etc) or designed for the individual with photos (use copies) and items relating to their history, hobbies etc.
I did two boxes for mums care home - one on a sewing theme: a sewing box containing thimble, tape measure, buttons of varying colours and shapes, length of elastic, bits of lace, squares of different fabrics, plastic needles (designed for children), pin cushion (no pins), darning mushroom, etc.
The other was on a DIY theme: a plastic box with a handle and removable tray containing penny washers, springy door stop, wooden rule, hinges, door bolt, realistic looking plastic models of tools (designed for children, but very realistic), plug, etc.
In other words, all sorts of pieces that would be used for that activity, but nothing sharp, dangerous, or that could be used as a weapon!!
