How to Your Plan, Create, Activate And Shine in 2019!

How to Your Plan, Create, Activate And Shine in 2019!

Hi Everyone,

I have been blogging now for five years and  running my business Lovejoy Centre for eight years and   the time just zooms by. And here we are again at the start of a brand New Year. We all fall into the trap of wanting to make change happen, we set our intention and then we don't follow through or people sabotage our good intentions by either poking holes in them, dream stealing them or we give up before we start. Not this year, we are all going to make sure we do as we intend too, right?

So here is my advice for you, this year I want you to make sure you factor you in the world of the AC bubble.

Write down what you want to achieve this year, don't tell everyone your dreams, if you mess up just start over each time, keep with it and let this year be the year you accomplish what you set your heart on doing for you.

To succeed with your planned activity schedule you need to make sure  you plan for the year that you have included enough time for you to plan, create and activate your activity sessions well.

Plan
Plan what you want to change, look objectively to see what you can do differently. See if there are other things you can now try with your residents that was on the back burner before, don't be so  dismissive at least try stuff.
Take into account all the traditional themes and customs that the generation of people you work with would of celebrated when they were younger. Remember when you are planning don't be blindsided by what you want but it's what your residents want.

I have created some useful tools for AC's I have a year wall planner available which lists all the main events of the year and international dates, so that's a great tool for you to use. Email me at lovejoycentre@gmail.com  if you wish to purchase.
Think about what you want to achieve  for your residents as a group for example, you should want to increase their self esteem, promote their independence, etc. So when you plan don't just think it's about booking this and that look at the whole picture from a person centered viewpoint.

Create AC's are naturally creative and very resourceful beings, it's a case of having to be at times. When you create your activity schedule include your residents, get their input, discuss ideas with them, include them in planning sessions . You would be so surprised at what they can contribute. By doing this as a good practice exercise you will also be fulfilling a lot of what CQC look for when they inspect homes. Incidentally, CQC  look for activities around these three major area, Community, Technology and wellbeing.

Community- Get involved in community projects, accessing the local community for your residents, make your activity planning inclusive of this.

Technology- Use tablets with your residents to use app which have quizzes, art etc  for them to use. Help them set up email addresses, Skype, use YouTube etc. Make sure you record all these activities and 121 you may do.

 So make sure you document these meeting and planning sessions.

It ticks so many boxes on so many levels for you and your residents. Once again try something, if it is not feasible be creative and make it feasible. Here is a lovely story I heard of what one home's AC did for her resident. Joan was going to turn 100 years old and her birthday wish was she wanted to have a ride in a hot air balloon and travel over her beloved Cardiff.

So This AC created a basket similar to a hot air balloon one, that she put around Joan's wheel chair then she created a huge balloon from the wall and on  Joan's birthday she put her into the balloon creation and at the same time from a projector showed Cardiff  as if you were looking at it from a hot air balloon's view. There was not a dry eye in the house and Joan was delighted and felt fulfilled.

It is just thinking outside the box. Give it a try.

Now you have planned, created it is time to activate. Get your well planned ideas into fruition.

I know a lot of AC's have to raise funds for their residents so think of ways that you can do that different. Have you ever just asked the owners to give a budget? 

They should really. If not get ideas on internet for low budget activities and approach charities , dance schools, local secondary schools who can come in for free to provide entertainment for your residents. Ask companies to donate to you and your care home. I have at Lovejoy Centre on numerous occasions given away activity products to homes so at least their AC's have something.

Put your hard work together  and see your planned sessions flourish, always have a contingency plan in case something happens.

If you have a plan you will always succeed. I  wish you a very pleasant New Year as we go full steam ahead into 2019 and am always here to support you.

Online Support For you From Me!

Online Academy For AC's Only!

Last  year I established the AC Tastic  Academy an online hub of support for AC's that covers just about everything you need, paper work templates, understanding terms and subject matter, CQC stuff etc and lots  more.
AC Tastic Academy -

Full details of content and price and how to sign up is here- .http://www.actasticacademy.com/signup

Freelance AC Course

If you are thinking about being a freelance AC or want to do this in addition to your current role I have but together a course with 12 modules and accompanying video's to show you how and I am with you every step of the way.
I show you how to do this in 21 days! Anyone ready to change their life for good?

 You can sign up here and get  full information about it -http://lovejoycentre.co.uk/freelance-activity-coordinator-course


Dementia Friendly Products-

I have created a range of dementia friendly products to assist in activity provision. My product range is always evolving  as I continuously create new products for AC's to use in their activity provision. I have sold hundreds of mats, they are stocked and sold by major outlets as well and help you deliver reminiscence in a unique way.Take a look at my online store here-

http://lovejoycentre.co.uk/store


Annual AC Wall Planner and Diary 2019 And 12 Month Training Bundle £29.99

I have created a useful wall planner that has all the key dates on it for you to help prompt and remind you whats on when. Also this year I have created a diary that has a month at a view, helpful hints and tips for your role and a suggested activity idea for you each month.A wonderful resource for an AC .
You can purchase your 2019 wall planner and diary direct from me email me at lovejoycentre@gmail.com. Happy to invoice you if your home is paying.

Training Courses and Workshops

I do offer 121 mentoring and training  and run workshops through out the year as well. If interested please contact me at lovejoycentre@gmail.com.

Annual Care Show and AC Awards

For the past five years I have been running a successful care show connecting service providers and health professionals together for a day.
Also each May we have our annual Activity Coordinator Awards and this is a big event on our calendar and everyone is welcome to nominate someone nationally, we get good press coverage.
I believe in raising the profile of the AC role and honouring it.


Online FB Group Support

I hear all too often the AC role is isolating so I have built up an online community to help support other AC's worldwide in our little hub. Free Daily Sparkle and lots more for FREE.
Lots of special promotions, free giveaways  and a great resource of files on activities is available to all members free.

You can join the group here -
.https://www.facebook.com/groups/lovejoycentregroup

I also do a monthly newsletter you can sign up here and get my free eBook-
 To get your free copy of our ebook: "10 Top Tips for Engaging and Stimulating Activities With The Elderly"

Please click below:
http://eepurl.com/Iw9p1

I just wanted you to all know what resources are available to you as AC's through me no matter where you are in the world.

Wishing you all well and until next time keep shining and I wish you all a shiny active New Year ahead.

Love,

Ann Marie xxx 

The Reality Of Being A Freelance AC

Hi Everyone, I thought I would do my blog on being a freelancer AC. I have been freelance for almost 8 years now.  Many wonderful AC's I talk to are fed up of not being paid enough and having to then fund raise to do the job they are employed to do!
Well, I am here to tell you if have ever considered going freelance it is possible. This is how I did it.
I use to be a care home manager for a number of years and was tired of all the paperwork and politics and decided after first hand seeing how well my residents who had dementia at mainly later stages responded so well to activities I did with them. I was amazed  at how well they interacted when we did reminiscence and pet therapy. I had my epiphany moment and handed in my notice but I made sure I had other areas of revenue coming in.
Over the course of 8 years my business has evolved and developed with specialist activity sessions, our own product range, training, community project work, partnering with other organisation on other ventures and so much more. 
So when you begin your journey always be open to possibilities, I started off with one reminiscence box and one booking and built my business from there.








Here are my top tips for you if you wish to become a freelancer-


Plan- Work out exactly what you wish to offer, what is your niche you are  bringing to the market place to fill. Write down how you want your business to look, what you want to do. If you need to go and get training. Write it all down so you can plan and create a time frame for yourself for when you wish to launch yourself.


Money- Make sure you have income coming in whilst you build your business, I worked three nights  a week and weekends to ensure I had enough money coming in to support me and my family and freed myself up during the day to build my business by taking bookings. After 18 months I was able to drop the two jobs as my business provided enough for me to live on.

Ideal Customer- If you work out  from the onset who your ideal customers are then you will succeed. there is no point pitching your marketing to all and sundry. You will get fed up with no results, so work out who is it you are working for with your offer of services, where do they hang out? Once you work that out then market your service direct to them to succeed.


Pricing- This is a big area newbies fall down on.  Even I have been caught out on my pricing to my detriment in my early days. When you price your hourly rate please make sure you consider one your time, how much it costs you to get to your appointments, cost of materials, etc. Don't just pluck any old price that comes to you, Make sure you charge enough to cover your costs and allows you to make a profit.


Don't compare yourself to the competition- Don't worry about the competition and what your competitors are doing and charging. It could make you wobbly and not believe in yourself. Stay in your own lane, focus on your business and do your thing. Remember, you are your brand and you are best at doing you.

Confidence- You have to believe in yourself and be confident.  Don't think there are too many freelance AC's so there is  no room for you, nonsense. There so many care homes, day centres and private clients that quite frankly there is not enough of us to go round. So there is plenty of room for you.

I have the privilege of working with AC's about to launch there business and I have seen so many be very successful at it. Many have done my course I have put together which shows you  every step of the way exactly what to do and you have continued support. You can find out it on this link.http://lovejoycentre.co.uk/freelance-activity-coordinator-course/.

I provide a range of excellent courses to assist the freelancer and any AC in their job role, check out my website www.lovejoycentre.co.uk . I hope you have found this blog interesting.

Until next time keep shining and remember your worth. Do you like what I have shared? 

Don't Be Alone!

Come connect with me on FB and be part of my online community of fellow AC's at  www.facebook.com/groups/lovejoycentregroup

Sign up  to go on my mailing list and get my FREE  ebook: "10 Top Tips for Engaging and Stimulating Activities With The Elderly" 

Please click below:
http://eepurl.com/Iw9p1

Until next time, keep shining.
Love,
Ann Marie x

Preparing for Christmas for AC's -Your Check List

 Hi Everyone, This year is just zooming by and it is about 11  weeks left to Christmas and the count down has begun.


It is one of the busiest times of the year for AC's and if your new at your role it can be very overwhelming. Don't panic. Help is at hand and if you are struggling for ideas this blog will help you and if you need further help come into my facebook group where I share loads of ideas, provide free resources and gives lots of encouragement.

So to help you here is my Christmas checklist for you-

.   

Check List..................

  First of all, sit down with a paper and pen and plan what sort of activities you will be doing this year.
When you write it down you have plan to follow. When you know what you are doing then you can prepare.

1. Panto - Have you booked your Christmas entertainment? If not NOW really is the time to do this. They get pretty booked up fast and the earlier the better. Plan when you are going to have your Christmas main resident's party or theme and BOOK and PLAN exactly what your going to be doing. If you have no budget for one and want to do your own. Then if you are one of my group members  you can access a written one complete with parts and dialogue. You could get staff and residents involved to do one.

2 Carol Service- You can approach local schools or church choirs to come in and lead you in a carol service concert and this can be done anytime in the run up to Christmas, as the month of December is Christmas themed, plan your activity sessions out and the main highlights in the momentum leading up to your main Christmas event.

3. Activity Count Down Suggestions- What I have planned with my groups I work with on a weekly basis is to do planned activity sessions leading up to Christmas as follows, this is just an example -

           Week 1- Salt dough Christmas tree decorations.

           Week 2- Christmas paper angels and Christmas cards.

            Week 3. Putting up the Christmas tree and home decorations.

          Week 4. Do a ginger bread house.

          Week 5. Carol Service for residents and relatives.

          Week 6. Christmas Service for residents.

         Week 7. Panto and Christmas party.

4. Include Everyone- Remember to factor in everyone in all the festivities especially assign time for those who choose to remain in their rooms through choice or cannot get out due to mobility issues.

5. Learn to Delegate- You are not superman or super woman. So what you can delegate out to others to help you with, do it. I know it can be hard for AC's to do this but you might find that your colleagues will want to help. Don't burn yourself out.

6. Making use of relatives- Ask the resident's relatives to get involved to assist you on large projects, you would be surprised that they actually want to help. So ask. Always great to have extra hands to help.

7. Gifts- Buy practical gifts for your resident's, what you know they will use and appreciate, set a realistic budget amount. Again ask for help if lots of gifts and order online well in advance of Christmas rush.

Finally remember YOU. Yes, you. Your important and you have to pace yourself and do your own personal Christmas shopping and planning. So make sure you    

make time for yourself and do not put unnecessary pressure and expectations on yourself. Enjoy your time with your family, leave work at work and give yourself permission to switch off and relax.

Until next time keep shining and remember your worth. Do you like what I have shared? 

Don't Be Alone!

Come connect with me on FB and be part of my online community of fellow AC's at  www.facebook.com/groups/lovejoycentregroup

Sign up  to go on my mailing list and get my FREE  ebook: "10 Top Tips for Engaging and Stimulating Activities With The Elderly" 

Please click below:
http://eepurl.com/Iw9p1

Until next time, keep shining.
Love,
Ann Marie x

Hi Everyone,
I cannot believe how quickly the this year is going and as an AC this is quite a busy time of the year for us. 
We have our Autumn fetes, key dates like Harvest Festival to do and dare I say it start planning for Christmas. 

Here are some key dates that you may wish to cover and ideas of what you can do. I must say don't always feel compelled to cover every date or feel discouraged if your home activities schedule is different to everyone else's. You have to remember every care home is unique and different, has a budget, or has no budget and  every AC has their own personal flare and style.

Make sure you use your notice boards to display your work and keep it looking up to date and fresh, as this is what visitors and residents first see in the home.

 

Key Dates For September

International Talk Like A Pirate Day -  19/09/18

You can have lots of fun for this one . You could have a competition to see who sounds like a pirate the most. You could use the following list  for phrases.

Pirate Terms and Phrases

If you think that there are only a few pirate terms and phrases to learn, you are absolutely mistaken! After reading this list, you will see that there is quite a bit more to speaking pirate than running around and say "Aargh!"

All hands hoay=Everyone get on the deck

• Avast ye=Pay attention
• Black spot=Death threat
• Dance the hempen jig=To hang someone
• Dungbie=Rear end
• Hempen halter=The noose used to hang people
• Hornswaggle=To cheat
• Shiver me timbers=An expression used to show shock or disbelief
• Abaft=Back area of the boat
• Binnacle=Where the compass is kept on board the ship
• Cackle fruit=Chicken eggs
• Coaming=A surface that prevented water on the deck from dripping to lower levels of the ship
• Duffle=A sailor's belongings
• Head=Toilet on board the ship
• Holystone=Sandstone that was used to scrub the ships
• Jacob's Ladder=Rope ladder that was used to climb aboard ships
• Monkey=Small cannon
• Monkey jacket=Short jacket worn by some of those aboard the ship
• Orlop=Deck where cables are stored away
• Poop deck=Deck that is the highest and farthest back
• Cockswain=The helmsman
• Flibustier=Pirates of the Golden Age
• Freebooter=Refers to an actual pirate
• Landlubber=A person who is not incredibly skilled at sea
• Powder monkey=A gunner's assistant
• Black jack=Large drinking cups
• Davy Jones' Locker=Refers to death
• Ahoy=Hello
• Ahoy, matey=Hello, friend
• Batten down the hatches=A signal to prepare the ship for an upcoming storm
• Blimey!=Something said when one is in a state of surprise
• Blow the man down=A command which means to kill somebody
• Booty=Treasure
• Buccaneer=Name for a pirate
• Crow's nest=The place on the ship where the lookout stand is built
• Cutlass=Type of sword used by the pirates
• Feed the fish=Meaning that an individual or group of individuals will soon die
• Heave ho=Instruction to put some strength into whatever one is doing
• Jolly Roger=The famous pirate flag with a skull and crossbones on it
• Man-O-War=The name used for a pirate ship that is all set and ready to go to war
• Old salt=A sailor that has a great deal of experience on the seas
• Privateer=Pirates who are sponsored by the government
• Scallywag=A name that is used as an insult to someone
• Scuttle=To sink a ship
• Seadog=An old sailor or pirate
• Shark bait=Going to die soon
• Thar she blows!=An expression used when a whale is spotted from the ship
• Son of a biscuit eater=An insult
• Three sheets to the wind=Someone who is quite drunk
• Walk the plank=A punishment which entails someone who walks over the side of the ship off of the plank. Their hands are often tied so that they cannot swim and they drowned.
• Yo Ho Ho=There is often used to express some sort of cheer but also can be used to call attention to the speaker.

You might be surprised to see some of the items on this list. In fact, certain expressions have made their way into every day life. For example, people often say "Three sheets to the wind" about a drunk person at a party or they will call a rascal a "scallywag." Learning about how languages blend into each other is extremely interesting.

Have a fancy dress competition or if you work in a large facility have a competition to see  who could do the best pirate display on the notice board on their floor and get the residents to judge.   

Use this link for loads of wonderful ideas that you can easily adapt to use with your residents.

http://fun-a-day.com/activities-for-a-preschool-pirate-theme

International  Peace Day 

 This maybe a day you wish to observe with your residents , it is actually a wonderful topic that you can use for a reminiscence session and derive lots of conversation threads.

What is International Peace Day?

 The International Day of Peace, sometimes unofficially known as World Peace Day, is a holiday observed annually on 21 September. It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access.

It is a day that the United Nations celebrate to also honour the achievements of those whose accomplishments helped to bring peace to the world. 

Activity Ideas-

You could create a peace collage  featuring a dove.

Plant a peace garden with your residents.

Plan a reminiscence session talking about how life was after peace when WW2 ended.

Have a coffee morning and sell cakes to raise funds for your home to celebrate world peace day.

Print off  pictures to colour .

Make a peace tree and get the residents to write their thoughts or wishes on the leaves and then stick those onto your tree you make.

International World Alzheimer's  Awareness Day 21/09/18-

This really should be celebrated especially if you are a dementia home and it is a day to raise the profile of Alzheimer's Disease, awareness and raise money for research.

Activity Ideas

 Download for FREE resources you can use and put up in your home , use the link below to print off posters and information  from https://www.worldalzmonth.org

Talk to your local Alzheimer Charity  worker to arrange for them to come in and give a talk.

 Invite the community into your home to a Dementia Friends talk,  again contact your local Dementia Friends group to arrange a Dementia Friend to pop along to give an informal chat about dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. 

Definitely do a reminiscence session with your residents on any topic they want  or what you think would suit their needs.

Contact your local library or museum for a loan of their reminiscence boxes and there is a low cost for these, in some cases the library staff will come out to do a reminiscence session.

Make  cup cakes by doing a  baking session and have a coffee morning and raise funds to donate to the Alzheimer's society and your care home too.

Harvest Festival  23-29/09/18

I have prepared a cheat sheet for you to help you out as you enter September-

Interesting Facts To Share To Create Reminiscence  Discussion Threads-

Harvest festival use to be celebrated on the 1st of August and called Lammas meaning loaf mass, Farmers made loaves of bread from the new wheat crop and gave them to the local churches who would use them as communion bread during a thanksgiving mass.


The custom ended when King Henry VIII  broke away from the Catholic Church, and nowadays harvest festivals are done at the end of the season.


Traditionally the end of the harvest was celebrated with a big meal , harvest supper, which would be eaten on Michaelmas Day.

At the start of the harvest, villages would appoint a strong, respected man of the village as their 'Lord of the Harvest'. He would be responsible for negotiating wages and providing workers to work in the field.And the 'Lord of the Harvest' would sit at the head of the table.


Michaelmas Day-

Michaelmas Day is the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel, who threw the devil out of heaven.
He is also regarded as the saint of the sea, maritime and horses and horseman. the day is celebrated 29th of September which is harvest festival day.

Michaelmas day is also known as goose day. Goose fairs are still held in some English towns, but geese are no longer sold.A famous Goose Fair is held in Nottingham on the 3rd of October each year.
Goose was the main bird to dine on on Michaelmas day and was a custom.

It is said that Queen Elizabeth I was eating goose when news of the defeat of the Armada was brought to her on Michaelmas day and she declared she will henceforth  would always eat goose on that day and everyone followed suit.

Superstitions

It is believed that when the devil was kicked out of heaven he fell on brambles and cursed the fruit of the plant and it is believed to be bad luck to eat blackberries after Michaelmas Day.

Also it is believed if you eat goose on Michaelmas Day you will not lack money  all year.

Also if the breast bones of the goose are brown after roasting the following winter should be mild, but if the bones are white or have a slight blue hue  then the winter will be severe.

In Ireland if you find a ring  hidden in a Michaelmas pie it  is meant that one would soon be married.

Corn Dolly

A corn dolly  was supposed to be have been the spirit of the corn goddess and dates back hundreds of years.It is believed in order to keep the spirit of the corn goddess alive and have a harvest next year they would keep back some corn.
Hence corn dolls where created with this belief.

Some Activity Suggestions For You-

Make A Michaelmas Pie!

If you happen to live where blackberries grow wild, why not take advantage of their abundance at this time of year and gather as many as you can for making crumbles, jam....and Michaelmas Pie!



Ingredients:
12 oz plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 oz white vegetable fat or lard
3 oz chilled butter, diced
3 fl oz chilled water
pinch salt
2 lbs cooking apples
2 oz sugar
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
12 oz) blackberries
1 egg, beaten



Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C, 350 F, Gas 4.
1. Prepare the pastry. Place the flour in a large bowl and stir in the cinnamon and salt. Rub in the butter and white fat with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add the chilled water. Bring the mixture together using a round bladed knife. Once it has come together, knead for a brief moment and place in a plastic bag in the fridge. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Peel and core the apples. Cut them into large chunks and place them in a saucepan with the sugar, cloves and nutmeg. Cover with a lid and gently cook for 5 minutes, until the apples have softened. Fold in the blackberries and remove the saucepan from the heat. Cool completely.

3. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out two thirds on a lightly floured surface. Line an 8-inch metal pie plate. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork. Strain the fruit, reserving the juices and spoon the fruit mixture over. Roll out the remaining pastry. Lay the pastry over the fruit. Lift back the edge and brush the base with a little egg and seal the edge. Trim and crimp the pastry edges. Brush the surface with the remaining egg and make a couple of slits in the top. Scatter a little more sugar over the pastry and bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot or cold with ice cream or fresh double (whipping) cream.



Create your own Harvest Festival Display-

Ask your residents, their family, staff and friends to create your own Harvest Display by donating   vegetables, tins of food, corn etc.
Once you have finished displaying it you can donate it to the local church or local food banks for distribution.


Make your own Fab Wall Display-

Make something like this picture example, using leaf prints, paper, paint etc. This could be done over a few sessions with your residents.

Make your own harvest wheat sheaf !

YOU WILL NEED:

A large baking tray ( the biggest your oven can take anyway)

A pair of scissors

That is all

INGREDIENTS

700g strong white bread flour

10g instant dried yeast

10g salt

5g sugar

450ml cold water

3 egg yolks ( for glazing and sticking)

METHOD FOR DOUGH:

Mix all the dry ingredients together, then gradually beat in the water until you get a nice firm dough and the bowl is clean with no dough sticking to the sides, if your dough feels too wet or tacky add a touch more flour, if it’s too dry and not very malleable add a bit more water.

Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until you have a nice clean ball of dough. Leave to rest for 10 minutes somewhere cool, then split the dough into two, keep one-quarter for the base and three-quarters for the decoration on top.

Thanksgiving Service-

Hold your own thanksgiving service with hymns and share poems and get the residents to share why they are thankful.

 October- Halloween

The main theme day for October is Halloween. A lot of elderly people do not want to celebrate this and some people find it frightening .

All be it, it can be a very scary time with the costumes and scary masks that will be about , especially for people with dementia.
So bearing this in mind, I would suggest that you can include some nice interactive activities that mark the occasion in a befitting manner and gets everyone involved.
Please do not put up grave yard pictures or back drops very in appropriate or scary costumes or masks.
It is of great importance that people in care homes are aware the seasons for their orientation of time and seasons, and that they know where we are in the year.

Here are a few suggested ideas-

Traditions

Share the origins of traditions of Halloween, do your research on the internet.
This is an excellent resource  http://projectbritain.com/Halloween/history.htm

Food

Halloween-themed food is fun, easy to make, and perfect for entertaining groups of elderly people, large or small. Bake cupcakes and have them decorate them with orange and black icing. Provide sprinkles and candy corn for decoration as well to make the project even more festive! You could also bake sugar cookies and have the group cut out the dough with Halloween-shaped cookie cutters before baking and decorating them. Candy apples are even easier; just melt caramel, put some apples on sticks, and dip.

Games

There are plenty of game options for seniors that are amazing for Halloween. Halloween Bingo is a great choice for the elderly. You can cute out Halloween themed pieces and use them for the Bingo card. Memory games are another great option for the elderly. Have you ever played games of concentration with a child? Kids seem to be better at recalling matching cards than adults, and games of concentration can be exceptionally challenging for the elderly. The suits, numbers, or colors can be declared as matches to make the games easier, and an entire deck of cards or partial decks can be used, depending on the difficulty level desired. Two decks of matching cards can be used together to create exact matches and larger memory games. Obviously, the fewer number of cards used in conjunction, the easier the memory games for the elderly players.

Craft Activities

There are numerous activities the elderly community may partake in during the Halloween season. Pumpkin painting is extremely fun and interactive for seniors. Pumpkin painting is a classic Halloween activity for all ages. It works well for the elderly because there is less need to use fine motor skills.

Cards and card making is another great Halloween activity. Set up a Halloween card-making craft activity. Making Halloween cards allows the seniors to connect with distant relatives and friends. Provide card materials in black, orange and purple. Include decorative scrapbook papers with a Halloween pattern along with Halloween stickers, ribbon and scrapbook embellishments.

Providing pre-cut Halloween shapes is a good idea if the participating seniors aren't able to cut easily with scissors. The elderly participants glue the shapes onto the card stock base to create the cards.

Halloween Reminiscence Mat Game

Last year I created a Halloween friendly reminiscence game mat which you can use with groups, each persons has a go at throwing a bean bag onto the mat and it has very non scary questions on it, like did you ever go trick or treaty?

I have a few in stock if your interested email me at lovejoycentregmail.com

Pumpkin Carving

You can get a few pumpkins and get the residents to help scoop out the insides and draw on the front of them and then you cut out either a face or a pattern.

Also I have created a reminiscence mat that can be used at Halloween that talks of old traditions and historical facts , this is a good resource to use. If you would like one to purchase email me at  lovejoycentre@gmsil.com.

Until next time keep shining and remember your worth. Do you like what I have shared? 

 Let me know and also I have created an online AC Academy that gives you support with all the challenges you face. www.actasticacademy.com.

Don't Be Alone!
Come connect with me on FB and be part of my online community of fellow AC's at  www.facebook.com/groups/lovejoycentregroup

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Until next time, keep shining.
Love,
Ann Marie x