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Healthcare Training Institute - Quality Education since 1979
Section 22
Envelope Stuffing
Table of Contents | NCCAP/NCTRC CE Booklet
Envelope Stuffing
(The last track of the DVD that accompanied this course contains slide(s) illustrating implementation of this activity.)
Envelope Stuffing is a good activity for your more alert residents, who have an attention span of 3-5 minutes or more and are able to grasp objects with both hands. You might contact a United-Way, local not-for-profit agency, church, etc. and ask if they have a mailing coming up for which residents might stuff envelopes. Rather than agreeing to do the entire mailing, you might request 25 to 100. I've found when I asked alert residents to stuff envelopes, the residents were afraid they might have to write addresses on the envelopes. However, once I showed them the project and that they were merely inserting items in envelopes, I was able to get a lot more residents involved. I especially got those involved that were not interested in crafts, singing, music, or fun. They were motivated by helping out the church, non-profit agency, etc. Also, this is something residents can do in their rooms if they refuse to leave their room.
Essential Principles regarding how to Adapt
an Activity for your Low-Functioning!
Here’s how to adapt the above idea for your lower functioning residents. For your less alert resident who perhaps used to work in an office, you might buy a box of envelopes at Staples (they are cheap) and get some scrap paper from the office. Tell your low-functioning Frieda you need her help. Provide her with three or four tri-folded pieces of paper with three or four envelopes. To implement the activity:
1. Introduction: Say, "Frieda, I need your help with something. Would you like to help me?"
2. Demonstration: "Let me show you." Slide one tri-folded paper into an envelope
3. Adapt: To make the envelope easier to slide the paper into, expand the tight folds of the envelope by running your finger along the inside creases of the envelope. Place the envelope in the resident's left hand, if they are right handed. Place the tri-folded, non-confidential form in her right hand. Assist her to slide the folded form into the envelope.
4. Assess: Do her eyes and facial expression indicate the possibility for success? If your Frieda is "hung up" or failing at sliding the paper into the envelope, ask yourself,
a. Is there a potential here for success?
b. Is this activity by far too difficult for my Frieda’s attention span, eyesight, and hand coordination? If so, which one of the previous simpler activities in this Manual or Volume One in this Series should I try next?
c. Can she almost slide the paper into the envelope? But what one little part is keeping her from success?
5. Observe: If she is not successful, but you feel there is a potential to be successful, observe!
a. Look at the size of the materials.
b. Look at the positioning of the materials.
What can you change to help your Frieda to be successful? How about smaller paper? Cut one or two inches off the end of the tri-folded form. How about a bigger envelope? Get some old ones from the office. How about thicker paper? Use folded sheets of construction paper rather than typing paper.
6. Think! Think! Think!: When you are driving home from work, think about your Frieda and what you saw her doing as she was attempting to slide the paper into the envelope. No Manual, CD, or DVD can implant this thought process in your head for you, as you are well aware.
When you are in your car, combing your hair, or watching a TV commercial, and hopefully have no distractions, that is when the creative side of your brain can kick in. In the creative side of your brain lies the essence of a successful program for the low-functioning and Alzheimer's resident. It's up to you, it's in your grasp, it's in your power, and it's oftentimes not easy and perhaps even uncomfortable or a little emotionally painful.
But other times solutions as to how to adapt a project for a resident come to you simply, easily and you have a triumphant sense of accomplishment.
1-to-1 Activity Adaptation Thought Process
But if you are struggling with how to adapt an activity, here's a thought process.
a. Calm down. Fight the sinking feeling inside that is saying, "Gosh, this doesn't work with Frieda either!"
b. Look inside. Ask yourself, "What did I see? What part of the activity was she able to do? What part did she have trouble with?"
c. Access the creative side of your brain and say, "Give me an answer. How can I adapt this project so my Frieda can be successful?” The list below is only a small partial list of concepts presented previously in this Manual to be considered.
Placement |
Material Adaptation |
Assistance Provided |
Task Segmentation |
Height |
Thickness |
Amount of Verbal prompting |
You do first part |
Angle of Elbow |
Size, Shape |
Cup your hand around resident’s |
Motivation used |
Line of Sight |
Color |
Elbow prompting; Demonstration |
Hand Exercise |
“Or is there another simpler project at the beginning of this Manual or in Vol. 1 that would work better with her?"
Obviously, the preceding section not only applies to envelope stuffing, but to ANY programming challenge you are experiencing with your Low-Functioning and Alzheimer's Residents. Consider referencing these ideas often!
Goal: To do envelope stuffing with physical assistance… |
Goal: To do envelope stuffing independently once started…
Approach: Tell the resident that I need her help to put the paper into the envelope. Evaluate capability of resident's hand movement to fold and put paper into the envelope(s) |
Residents with whom to try Envelope Stuffing
Resident |
Who will gather materials and/or construct project? |
Staff /Volunteer to work with resident? When? |
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Culture Change Implementation: Place Envelope Stuffing in labeled Activity Project Bag left in resident’s room for CNA, volunteer, etc. use.
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