Autumn Angels

Here is a fun project that we did.

It was inspired by a craft that I saw in a magazine years back. I modified it to meet the needs of my crafting residents.

We plan to make others; using seasonal silk flowers to make angels for each season.

Ice Cream Sundaes!!! (but don't eat 'em!)

Here are some photos of some of the ice cream sundaes made by residents during the dog days of summer. (One sweet lady keeps hers in the refrigerator?)

They are made with styrofoam balls and peanuts... cold porcelain.... and modeling paste... along with some paint and glue. Mmmmmm!

Birthday Place Mats

Our morning activity for Black Friday was to decorate paper placemats for birthdays.

I set out markers, stickers, crayons and stamps with stamp pads and let them go at it!

It was fun for all and now we have lots of decorated placemats for birthdays.

Let's Make a Deal Bingo was a big success!!!

We had a good, good turn-out for our Black Friday Let's Make a Deal Bingo game!!

Everyone had fun; lots of laughs and giggles. I was so busy, though, I had no time to take photos :(

Grand prize was a silver coated photo tree that had been donated for the occasion... We also gave away a felt throw (free gift from Fingerhut)--  a box of chocolate covered cherries-- several gag gifts. The recipient of the Emergency Clown nose proceeded to open the jar and immediately put the nose on!!!

All in all, I deem it a very successful event!

Happy Turkey Day!!

Our residents are having their second Thanksgiving dinner today. Last Friday was our Family Thanksgiving Dinner where residents' families were invited to come partake of a fabulous meal and some great entertainment. 

I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday!!!

Mmmm!! Cinnamon rolls!!! (they're not real!!)

This week, my ladies made these luscious looking cinnamon rolls; don't they look delish?

Well, they are high in fiber; loaded with cotton batting!

And the nuts are painted clay kitty litter!!!!

But, they smell and look fantastic! Everyone was so impressed by them.

Our current group of crafters include people with visual disabilities and others who have difficulty with fine motor skills; this craft accomodated them all. I did offer assistance in some of the hand sewing.

I got this idea from http://oodlekadoodleprimitives.blogspot.com/2010/09/faux-cinnamon-buns-linen-spray.html

(It's a great site!)

Beaded Crafts

This is the craft that our lady residents made last week. They turned out nice, don't you think? All of my ladies are wearing theirs proudly.

However..... a couple of the women did have some difficulty with the beading due to various physical difficulties. (As an activity professional, you are constantly changing craft techniques and materials to meet the needs of your current residents.)

So.... I will put my beading crafts away for now.

Here is what first inspired me to include beading as a craft activity:

I got it for a quarter at a yard sale! 

I modified the assembly and bead sizes and colors and here's the results:

These baskets grace the window sills in our residents' rooms. They turned out great!


Here's another very successful beading project:
SNOWFLAKES!

If you haven't yet tried beading with your residents and think it may be something that they are capable of and will enjoy, TRY IT!  Plastic beads are inexpensive at many online stores. The transparent ones are beautiful in sunlight. Surprisingly, chennile stems thread right through most bead holes.





Games for Assisted Living facility

Bingo, of course, still gets a big turn out.... BUT I WANT MORE!!!  I like to keep my residents excited about upcoming events and games. Been toying around with a "Let's Make a Deal Bingo" game once a month. There will be nice gift type prizes that I have collected from yard sales and the like and there will be gag gifts, too! I love to get the residents giggling!

My daughter told me about a clown nose in a jar with labeling that says, "For Emergency Use Only". I love that idea!!  I think that I will pick up some disguise glasses w/nose from the Dollar Tree and put it in a jar for one of the gag gifts!

I am still working on all of the logistics for the game. But it is going to be on next month's calendar of events so the pressure's on!

Thanks to all the Veterans

We had a lovely program for all of our residents today. A travelogue was presented and then our veterans were brought forward to hold up our flag as we all said the pledge of allegiance. Each vet was given a flag pin and a red rose as thanks for all that they have done for us.

"Well, we're off....and we're leaving!!!"

That's how I start each road trip with my residents so it seems appropriate to start this trip with the same.

I am an Activity Professional and have the privilege of working with elderly residents in an assisted living facility. It is a challenge and an honor to continually come up with games, crafts, and other activities that will engage my residents and add joy to their lives. I thrive on giving them things to look forward to and helping them to create heirloom crafts for their loved ones.

I have decided to document some of this journey. So, I invite you to join me! I think it will be a fun trip!