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Healthcare Training Institute - Quality Education since 1979

Section 23
Concluding Commentary:
No Magic & Activity Project Bags

Table of Contents | NCCAP/NCTRC CE Booklet

Let's say envelope stuffing works with your Frieda, and Picture Bingo works with, for example, Mabel.  Then, in my opinion, delegation becomes the key to a successful one-to-one activity program.  That is, delegate after…
1. the Activity has been constructed and
2. initial implementation sessions have proven the Activity to be at the appropriate level for the resident, which provides the resident with a successful experience

To review the preceding section, if the activity does not appear to be appropriate, or in other words does not "work" with your resident, the following may be of assistance. 
a. Ask yourself, “Is there some way I can adapt, tailor-make, or change the idea presented in this Manual for this specific resident?”
b. Now, as mentioned in the previous Section, access the creative side of your brain.  Also ask other activity staff members, volunteers, and nursing if they have any ideas regarding how the project may be changed to fit that particular resident.  Taller? Shorter? Bigger? Smaller? More colorful? Less colorful? Placed to the left? Placed to the right? Tried only in the mornings? Tried only in the afternoons? Used after the resident smells lemon extract? Recruit the daughter to do the Activity with the resident?

The adaptations and possibilities are, of course, endless. But, if the activity ideas from this Manual just do not work with that resident, ask yourself,
a. "What have I learned new about this resident from the "failure" of this trial period for these activities?"
b. "Is there another resident with whom I might try the activities I tried with this resident?”  If not, keep these activity ideas in mind for your next new admission.

Ideally, I challenge you to always be actively thinking about the ideas in this Manual and the others in this Series and how you might use them with a resident who has a specific set of capabilities and limitations during that particular work session.

However, if an activity does "work" with a resident… delegate a specific activity staff member, volunteer, or alert resident to conduct the activity on a regularly scheduled weekly basis with that resident.  Use the Reproducible Inservice Training Booklet and DVD as the basis for training for CNAs.  Select one or two tracks depending on time available for the Inservice.

Are you aware of the volume of information and Activity ideas you have received for your semi-comatose and low functioning residents in this course?  If so, don’t make the mistake of feeling there is so much practical information you don’t know where to start.  Therefore, you don’t start at all.  It’s clear that implementation of these projects takes time and planning.  Here is a sample way to get started and avoid procrastination due to feeling overwhelmed: 1. Select one or two projects you feel will work best with some of your residents. 2. Post a list for donated items or purchase. 3. Recruit or ask current volunteer assistants, if needed. 4. Construct items. 5. Put these items on cart or in a basket/bag/box with a handle which you can take room to room. 6. Duplicate what I have done on the DVD through trial and error of various projects with residents you deem appropriate. 7. Observe, assess, and adapt…  figure out what parts of the activity worked and what parts of the activity didn’t work with that resident. 8. Leave projects, with which the resident experienced success, in an Activity Project Bag in the resident’s room. 9. Inservice CNAs regarding use of the items left in the residents’ rooms. 10. Start with Step 1 again.  I have given you the best information I have, in the best format I could think of.   However, great information alone will not improve the quality of life for your residents.  I hope you will give these ideas your best, and thus your residents your best, by actually USING THESE IDEAS with your residents.  Best of luck!  Talk to you in Volume 3, Seminar DVD: Advanced Stage Alzheimer’s & Low Functioning Small Group Activities with 99 Care Plan Goals.