Shane

After an interview for an activities position in my building, a woman "shadowed" me for a few hours and it made me realize how often I use tricks that I've learned with experience. For example,  we were playing a new game and I opened the box for the first time after gathering 6 residents to try it out. It wasn't meant for more than four people to play at a time and they were meant to play on the same board. The residents were spread out along a long table. So, after a look at the pieces and people involved, I quickly made up new rules that could include everyone on their own board. Another look around and I adjusted the rules again- once for a resident with severe memory challenges and again for a pair of women who I knew worked best as "partners". Meanwhile the interviewee was trying to understand the "real rules" and the hardest part was conveying to her that "real" didn't matter as much as everyone enjoying the activity while still being challenged cognitively.

Since then I've been noticing how I do things like invite people purely on which aspect of the activity I know they'll most enjoy, "Come get out of your room", "We'll have snacks", "Try something new", "Mary will be there" or change locations to suite a bigger crowd.

Another thing I've improved upon is showing a movie. I've learned to plan on staying in the room (I set aside work I can get caught up on just for the purpose) to keep volume control, make popcorn, and invite early so we don't have to delay the start of the show. Another good idea is to play a movie the residents really enjoy, such as "Shane". Not only did they love seeing the movie again,  it got them geared up for the next day which had a Western Theme.