At last There is Help For Activity Coordinators Everywhere !!!!

Hello,
Hope you have all now fully recovered from Christmas and ready to get on the very merry go-round of activity organising and facilitating.
I all too often hear the same typical stories from AC's worldwide wishing they could access information to help assist them in their job role and life in general. Well the great news is that I have created  an online academy just for you blessed souls.
It is not just another online place full of activity ideas , I deal with the real life things you face everyday and show you how to deal with them and nurture yourself as well. It's a wonderful tool to have access to.
I cover all you need to know to deal with issues that come up in your role, we go in depth looking at the AC role, We deal with self esteem personally and also look at how you can build your residents self esteem, person centeredness, different activities etc .
Lots of tool's and useful content. I am offering enrollment at £99 for a one off payment with lifetime access or you can pay over 2 months or 3 months.  You can  sign up NOW at www.actasticacademy.co.uk
Alternatively, If you wish to try before you buy you can have a one month pass for just £10.
If this is something of interest to you then you need to email me at lovejoycentre@gmail.com and I will  send you the secret link upon receipt of payment.

The academy is a great tool with lots of offers and support for the AC. I would also like to let you know about AC Awards I do each year. Get your family, friends and  work collegaues to nominate you NOW at www.lovejoycentre.co.uk/2015-awards. Here is a picture of our winners from last year. Worth a vote, winning AC's this year will walking away with some wonderful gifts as two companies are now sponsoring the awards.

I know this blog is about the academy and the awards but these are gifts I have created  for you dear AC and I want people to utilise it more.

Don't be alone come connect with me on facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/lovejoycentregroup

We have a lot of discussions, exclusive offers, lots of activity ideas and downloadables for you all free and showcase our products which are great tools to AC's worldwide and used in hundreds of homes throughout the UK.We also celebrate each others achievements and those of our wonderful residents..

Until next time,keep shining.

Love,

Ann Marie xx

Using Technology With the Elderly And As An Activity Support.

We live in the 21st century and there has never been a greater time when we can use technology to enhance the quality of life for our residents and help them keep in touch with their loved ones.
I am always challenging you to think outside the box and  using technology certainly is thinking outside the box.
I invested in two tablets to use with my groups and individuals I work with. My oldest private client is 101 year old lady, who once I showed her how to use touch screen was well away.
We use the tablet to play games, look at youtube, pictures and also use apps to make dream boards, scrap books etc.

Introduce your residents to the world of the internet, work with those who want to give it ago.

Here are some favourite apps for use with people with dementia

Talking Tom 2

You can talk to Tom and he repeats what you say in his own hilarious voice. You can also  stroke him, poke him, challenge him and earn gold coins in a mini-game. You can dress him in new outfits and play silly mini games. Great for a bit of fun, interaction and contact with a talking virtual pet. Talking Ginger is another similar alternative.

My Reef 3D

This app is great for residents who can interact with the fish, or just sit back and enjoy life on a beautiful reef. Featuring 14 types of vibrant tropical fish, MyReef 3D lite includes species-specific movement and interaction. You can individually select the inhabitants of your aquarium, and even annoy them by tapping on the “glass”. You can also knock on the front “glass” to annoy your fish

Care home residents have loved the realistic appearance of this app and because it’s very gentle and easy to use, it’s ideal for individuals with advanced dementia

Let’s Create! Pottery

With this app, you can touch the screen to make pottery but throwing clay on a virtual wheel. You can smooth the sides of the pots by dragging your finger across the screen and create a collection of pots of different shapes and sizes. This app creates a relaxing, therapeutic experience for individuals with dementia, particularly those who have creative interests

YouTube

YouTube is an enormous collection of short videos which can be easily searched for and played. Everything from film clips to old news reels to pieces of music can be found on YouTube and this allows participants to request what they would like to see. In all of our sessions using YouTube in reminiscence sessions, only once have we not been able to fulfil a participant’s request. Because many people living in care homes have no concept of how easy it is to once again see their favourite films or hear their favourite music, every time we use this app in an activity session it yields great results

FlowerGarden

One of the best things about iPad apps is that they can play a part in bringing back activities which participants have missed from years gone by. FlowerGarden allows you to pick virtual seeds, plant them, water them and watch them grow. This is especially significant for participants who used to enjoy growing plants and are missing their former gardens. iPads are able to provide activities which replicate things which mean a great deal to older people.

Those of your residents who are able can access free internet classes for the elderly that are hosted by Age UK. In fact speak to them direct and see if they offer free training within the care home setting.

Also www.breezie.com offer bespoke tablet set up for use by elderly persons , personalied for them. A very simple touch screen programme.

Also using a projector and a laptop to show Youtube clips can be a really helpful tool to use in reminiscence sessions.

You can use video technology to make a short video with your residents for the homes website, facebook page and for sending to family .

The world of technology really is your oyster. Hope you found this useful and you will begin to implement some of these ideas.

By the way some of these apps can be downloaded onto mobile phones as well. 

Until next time. Keep shining.

Love,

Ann Marie x