Activities keep assisted living residents on the go
Nancy Menefee Jackson
They've sampled the seafood at By the Docks and River Watch, shopped at local malls and cheered the Iron Birds in Aberdeen.
Although they live in assisted living or extended care, life is far from over and they've got the schedule to prove it.
"Everything has a purpose and we try to make everything successful," says Nicole Rader, program manager at Renaissance Gardens at Oak Crest Village. "Pretty much you name it and we do it - as long as it's handicapped accessible, we go."
Along with going out to eat, Renaissance Gardens also offers catered lunches and dinners, often with a theme such as bingo luncheons. Steamed crabs, whether brought in or eaten out, are popular, as are theme days, such as beach day or country/western day that starts with a country/western breakfast.
Residents also take advantage of exercise programs, a musical therapist, an art club, ceramics, current events discussions, Wheel of Fortune-style word games, gardening in raised beds, billiards, light cooking, and, for those who are still quite active, bowling and volleyball.
"They're getting into computers," Rader adds.
When evaluating a facility, she recommends asking for activity calendars - and each facility should have one - and then taking a tour to see that things are happening. Medicare recommends asking if there is a place for residents to get outside, and staff to help them get there. Also ask if residents have a choice of activities. If the would-be resident is religious, are services offered regularly? Are there activities for all levels of care?
The Alzheimer's Association's Campaign for Quality Residential Care stresses that engaging in meaningful activities is an essential component of good care for patients with dementia, and interactions should be designed to do with residents, not to or for them.
Because residents of Oak Crest made friends when they were in independent living, as they move through the continuum of care they like to stay in touch.
"We try to do a lot of things that bring those in assisted living and long-term care together," Rader says. "For us, the biggest thing is to keep the residents as independent as possible and as active as they want to be." o
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