Activities: The Baker’s Dozen ApproachMark Laker, MS

OAHSA Annual Meeting March,2010

Midwest City, OK

Scheduled Activities +Unscheduled Activities

Create

“THE GROWING ENVIRONMENT”

Activities Program

An Interactive Social Environment

+

An Interactive Physical Environment

The Growing Environment

CREATE MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY

OPPORTUNITIES THAT TRULY ENGAGERESIDENTS

An Activity Director’s Job

Depends on Both

WHAT YOU PLAN

and

HOW YOU PRESENT IT

APPROACH IS ALMOST EVERYTHING

A Successful Program

Activity CategoriesBaker’s Dozen

“ Let us entertain you” Musicians Educators Professionals Humorists Drama Players Activity Directors Others

Entertainment Activities

“Everybody needs somebody, sometime”

Theme Parties Daily Socials Something at mealtimes Teams Spiritual Discussions

Social Activities

“Sportsmanship can be everywhere”

Theme Bingos Group Crosswords Jeopardy Star Toss Dice Games Words

Games & Competitive Opportunities

“Everybody can Participate” “Short Skits” Music Dance Painting

Creative/Expressive Activities

“Use it or lose it” Movement / Exercise Music with Movement Trivia with Exercise Walking & Wheeling Club Use Props Others

Physical/Wellness

“Looking for Inner Peace” Diverse religious services Poems Articles Book club Discussions Others

Spiritual

“You’re Never Too Old To Learn” & “Remember When” Who AM I? Group Crosswords Daily Chronicles Matching Jeopardy Others

Learning/Reminiscing

“It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” High School “Senior to Senior” Arts Groups Fraternal Organizations Non-Profits Lunch Bunch WC Lounge Others

Community

“Some People are Born Leaders” Resident Councils

◦ Self-Government◦ “Every Vote Counts”

Activity Advisory Committee Table Captains Others

Leadership

“By Benefiting Others We Benefit Ourselves” Resident Buddy System Stapling, Sorting, and delivering Clean up Mini-assistants

◦ Bells◦ Flowers, etc.◦ Others

Volunteer

“Just Hanging Out With the Guys/Gals Just Picture It

◦ Tools◦ Cars

Wedding Dresses Miss Manners “Differences between the Sexes” Others

Gender

Art to Art Grade School Class Boy & Girls Scouts Parties

◦ Tailgating ◦ Brain Games◦ Worm Race

Intergenerational & Family Programs

“Day by Day” Impromptu Visits Invite, Encourage, and Assist All Staff involvement Visits while eating Break Routines Others

Activities of Daily Living

Memory Movement Helping Humor Interest (Curiosity) Seeing & Touching (Props) Smell & Taste Sound & Talking

MIST(MMHHISSSTTT)“Your Activities and they will Grow”

Approach-Approach-Approach Preparation

◦ Activityconnection.com◦ Internet

Groups of 15 or less Use Humor in every activity Adult-Adult-Adult Exaggeration but respectful

Leadership

“It’s Their World, We’re In It”

Work in teams of 4 or less Put a higher functioning with Lower Levels Be very careful with questions directed

toward one person Keep possible resident problem behaviors

away from each other Challenging but not too difficult

Dementia

“Boring Activities (Same old Bingo) Juvenile Approach (Children) Lack of Staff enthusiasm (Bad Attitude) No flexibility (Rules) Severe Problem Behaviors (Virginia) Non interest residents coming (Nida) Other (Discussion)

Program Killers

Smiles and Laughter Truly Engaging Residents Interactions between residents Foster Friendships Giving warm fuzzies to each other Learning and growing Compliments to staff

Signs of Success

Scheduled & Unscheduled Activities can Create a Growing Environment

Our Job is to Offer Meaningful Activity Opportunities

Success depends on What You Plan and How you Present it.

A “Bakers Dozen” should be a part of your Activity Categories

D Dozen

Summary

Use the “MMHHISSSTTT” approach to grow your activities

Evaluate your programs by looking at “Program Killers”

Consider your “Signs of Success” Use Activityconnection.com Look to always Improve Work hard but have lots of fun

Summary

VP of Rowlett & Laker Activities Assistant at Brookdale Coordinator of the 90 Hour Activity Course Activitydirectorcourse.com Presenter for In-services and Conferences 317-750-8652

Mark Laker, MS