These are blogs I wrote for the Gilbert Guide about various topics. They will be helpful to you as you search for ways to be the best possible caregiver.
ACTIVITIES
We spend our lives doing things, being involved in things, working towards goals. This does not change in later life but the things we are doing may change. Professionals in aging assess the functional capacities of older adults by measuring their ability to continue doing their activities. Caregivers may be familiar with the Activities of Daily Living (ADL's). Dr. McCullough in his book, My Mother, Your Mother, adds the concept of Advanced Activities of Daily Living. These are activities that a person does while they are an active, participating member of the community.
• Participate as a member of social groups such as Sunday School classes or quilt club
• Move around the community with public transportation, driving, or taking the bus
• Leave home for social events
• Shop beyond simple grocery shopping, such as clothes or Christmas shopping
• Maintain car and home
What are your daily activities? You go to work, talk to family and friends, exercise, play, go out to eat, attend worship, read, watch TV, and lots more. Now imagine yourself in a nursing home. Here the activities available to you may be Bingo, an afternoon tea party, trivia, or a bean bag toss. Wow. Is it any wonder that the majority of residents in nursing homes are depressed and have cognitive decline?
Natalie Davis is a Master’s level Recreational Specialist who writes the national curriculum for the courses required for activity directors. Nat teaches activity students that it is importnat to Create Activities that Promote Dignity. People who come to live in long term stay communities bring their activity pasts with them. These residents would like to continue doing the things that have been meaningful to them in their past.
Nat asks residents or their family members make an “I Can” list. This consists of several categories. The physical, such as being able to walk, clap, fold, cut, write, color, scoop, dance. The cognitive category includes sorting, matching, rhyming, reading, recalling, spelling. Communication includes waving, expressing thoughts, smiling, writing, talking, conversing, greeting. Socialization includes responding to others, participating as an observer, and gesturing. Include lifelong abilities such as singing, card playing, work habits, playing an instrument, sewing, cooking, etc. Make an ‘I Can’ list of things your care receiver can continue to do, and use it as a basis for your activities with her.
All About Me
My friends call me _______. I lived in ________; prior to that I lived in _________ and __________. My favorite thing about home is ____________. I am a ______________ (farmer, artist, fisherman, golfer). When I was young I used to love to _____________. Some of my favorite things are ________________________. I am very good at ___________ and I am proud of ___________________. My favorite place to visit is ______________. I like to read ___________, and listen to _____________. My favorite leisure pastime is ____________. My favorite foods are ___________________________.
3 things I would like others to know about me are __________________________.
Putting it together
Imagine that You are now living in an assisted living because you broke a hip and must use a walker. This makes grocery shopping and meal preparation difficult, and driving is out because your children took your car. You have no interest in going to a tea party or tossing a bean bag, so you stay in your apartment and think about the good old days. Then Nat comes along. She asks questions like what did you used to enjoy doing? What kind of physical activities did you enjoy? Did you do any craft or handwork? Do you enjoy being outdoors, or are you more of an indoor person? Do you enjoy reading? What do you read? Have you been active in clubs or civic organizations? Did you ever go to events like plays or ball games or garage sales?Using this information, Nat develops activities aimed at putting your past into your present.
It is up to you, as the advocate for your care receiver, to ask the activity director in your facility to give this kind of personal attention to every resident. Ask what kinds of activity classes she has had, and ask the administrator to provide time away for the activity person to take courses that will enrich the activity program. Every resident in every assisted living community and every nursing home deserves to have interesting activities, mentally stimulating activities, and activities that relate to his/her past interests.
Make it happen!
Websites to help stimulate your creativity in adapting your care receiver’s past to current activities:
www.eldersong.com
www.heartwarmers.org
www.birdsandblooms.com
www.legacyproject.org
www.alzheimersreaders.com
www.joyandaction.com
Or try these websites for activities that are more cognitive:
www.funbrain.com
www.monkeyingaround.com/
http://www.playwithyourmind.com/