Activities for the elderly

[jeanette1976]

I'm applying for a P/T job as an events organiser in a residential care home to help pay for my uni studies.

I was wondering what activities i can do with them as it will play a fairly big part in their lives and most folk really look forward to these visits.

As these shifts are for 4hrs a piece, I need to be able to keep the activiy interesting for that length of time... which may be quite difficult.

Reading, bingo, art and crafts... what else? And these are too short to last 4hrs.

Any ideas? Are there any books i can get?

Thanks

[Beads]

A themed evening? I was in a hotel which was mainly elderly people recently and there was a 40's themed evening at some point which they were all looking forward to...not sure how easy it would be though.

[jane1098]

my nana loves a game of whist. its a card game. all of her friends love a game of cards.

[Doc Spock]

Musical comodes?

[Doc Spock]

Hide and seek. With a bit of luck half will go to their room, forget the game and fall asleep.

[Beads]

cards is a good idea jane. My grandad always used to like the odd jigsaw too.

[Katie~77]

Card games, listening to music, watching films, card making, bingo. If you get the job just ask them what sort of things they'd like to do. Good luck.x

[Neilzulu1]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2007420867, 00.html

There you go, problem solved.

[Katie~77]

Yes, I saw this on the local news. They loved it!!!!!!x

[Neilzulu1]

179.99 and you have a wii to solve all your probs. Lol, fair play to them.

[Goodsoulette]

Neil, thats brilliant!!!

im gonna take my boy's round to my nan's place and see how she gets on.

[Neilzulu1]

Nice 1, i have a wii and it is amazing. The games get my kids ( and me ) involved and are way better than the standard sit down and veg options.

[Ethel]

Quizzes - but give them sheets of printed questions, rather than calling the question out, because some may be hard of hearing.

You could of course read the questions out as well.

They may enjoy led discussions about newspaper headlines - they will have opinions too.

[annie0000]

Reminisence sessions where you get hold of objects or news events from the past and let them all talk about them.. Old people love to talk about how things were in the past. I am sure that they could fill 4 hours easy. You just need to be interested in what they are talking about and keep the conversation flowing.

Another good one is relaxation where you get them to close their eyes and you speak about relaxing things like lying on a beach etc.

[RATTER15]

It rather depends on their capabilities, I work in such a home and they love quizzes and such things, they also like music and can usually be encouraged to get up and dance a little. We also play ball throwing games with them(a soft ball is required lol) they also like doing exercises to music and we have a physical exercise instructor come in for 2 hours a week specialising in the elderly. I expect you will also be expected to organise days out to the local beauty spots and to Xmas panto's etc

[jeanette1976]

Grest ideas.... Reminisicing is excellent... and I was going to have some soft music in the background.. like Glen Miller, Billie Holliday, etc...

[annie0000]

You could also get people in to do talks - contact local groups e.g. photography, gardening etc.

When my little ones were at nursery, they used to go and visit the old people quite regularly and sing songs and speak to the "inmates" I remember my youngest being quite annoyed because some of them didn't even get out of bed!" lol

[moonshadow]

My Gran used to love the 'All Our Yesterday' events at her residential home. Each week five people were chosen to bring along an item they owned from their past and tell everyone what it meant to them, how they aquired it etc. They were given a week to prepare their spot in the limelight and for the ones who were a little shy one of the carers read out their carefully prepared story. My sister and I sat in on one of these sessions and it was very enjoyable, bringing back lots of happy memories for them all. At the end of the sessions song sheets were given out, which were mostly songs from the war years and everyone sang along.Several of the carers were amazed at how it brought out the best in everyone and it encouraged people to talk to one another instead of the usual bickering that went on.

[cruella]

Hi jeanette
I work in the Care Sector.
Activities
Bingo, arts and crafts
Flower arranging
Social afternoons or evenings. Some of the elderly have wonderful voices.
Storybooks. Getting them to write down their life with pictures and making it into a storybook
Dominoes.
Gardening if you have access to a garden.
Bric Brac sale.
Do you have funding for an Aromatherapist. The elderly at my place just love it. Very popular.
Talks from outside agencies.
Slide shows or videos of the town they were born.
Once you get started you will find what they like and dislike.
Good Luck!

[society]

Reading to them

Ask them to tell you about what their lives were like when they were younger. This I find to be always engaging, interesting and fun. I also learn a lot.

Have fun!

[Bellringer]

Try a beetle drive. Too long to explain here but look it up. More if you want it. [email protected]