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Section 11
Track #11: Can Rolling

Table of Contents | NCCAP/NCTRC CE Booklet

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Transcript of Track #11

If the resident’s hands are not totally closed ask if they can lay their hand flat in yours. This helps you to assess if they are able to follow a simple direction. Also you can see how flat their hand is. Sometimes the resident’s hand is almost flat but is slightly cupped which means their hand may be going into a contracture. It is hard to find activities where the resident is flexing their hand back rather than grasping. The best solution I found for this type of hand movement challenge is an activity called Can Rolling.

Can rolling is exactly what it sounds like. You might use a Morton’s cylindrical salt container, a Pringles container, or a rolling pin for this hand exercise on an over the bed table. The advantage of the rolling pin is that it is more identifiable to the resident. However the diameter is smaller than either the Morton’s slat container or the Pringles can and I seem to have the best luck with the Pringles can.

Before starting the activity, put a terry cloth towel down so the resident won’t be just skidding or sliding the Pringles can back and forth across the slick formicka over the bed table surface. Then place the resident’s hand on top of the Pringles can. Gently help them to roll it back and forth.

The care plan goal would be to do can rolling independently once started or to do can rolling after demonstration or another goal might be to do can rolling upon request. An approach would be to physically assist the resident in placing their hand on the can. Once again as a reminder, notice the angle of the resident’s shoulder, their elbow, and their wrist, to make sure that they are at the best functional angle.

Sometimes the resident is a good candidate for can rolling because of the cupped position of their hands. But because of stiffness in the three areas I’ve just mentioned, they are not able to get their hand at the right level or the right angle with the working surface to roll the Pringle’s can back and forth. So assess if any type of rolled towel support might facilitate the resident’s success with this activity.

Once you get your resident started with can rolling, help them apply even pressure to avoid grabbing the can and simply scrubbing it back and forth. This grasping or scrubbing rather than rolling results in missing the whole goal of the activity, which is to have a backward flexion movement in their hand. to most efficiently utilize your time while they are can rolling, you might work with a resident sitting nearby on a different activity while the first resident is either doing or contemplating doing the can rolling.

Also just a reminder, from the beginning of this Section, success therapy one to one small group activities need the support and coordination with the interdisciplinary team. So if in doubt about using an activity with a particular resident, not only check with nursing, but OT and PT as well.

Question 11: What are two reasons for asking a resident to lay their hand flat in yours?

NCCAP/NCTRC CE Booklet
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Table of Contents

Note-Taking Exercise
Can Rolling

What makes a resident a good candidate for can rolling?

Why is it important to assist the resident in avoiding grabbing the can or using a scrubbing motion?

Residents with whom to try Can Rolling

Culture Change Implementation: Place Can Rolling in labeled Activity Project Bag left in resident’s room for CNA, volunteer, etc. use.