Fond of Fitness

When I saw the article in the USA Weekend magazine in my newspaper about senior's fitness,  with 73 year old Jane Fonda, it reminded me of how important the fitness element is on my activities calendar. It is an area, that fortunately, I have a fitness director's assistance with. Together we work towards giving the residents a variety of opportunities to exercise. I plan outings where there is walking involved, (and I do mention the need to be an "able walker" when I promote the outing), dances, and more. The Fitness Director plans classes for all level of senior adults. We have a video that the residents love that is simply a homemade video of a resident leading a chair class from many moons ago... that they will not stop doing, no matter how many new DVDs we bring in. We have a tai chi instructor who leads a modified class that includes some chair stretches; water aerobics, during the warmer months; walking outings along the beach or at a local park; and a few other classes that use hand weights, therabands and rings. There are also times in the Fitness Center when the instructor is there to  teach people how to use the equipment or set them up with a plan. And I can not forget Wii Bowling.  Do you all use a Wii for fitness in your community?  I know that there is a Wii Fit game, but not sure how to incorporate it into the schedule so that a class can use it. I'd love to hear if you have any suggestions!

Along with those classes and outings, the independent living residents (and some personal care/assisted living) in our retirement community also have fun and get fit with some annual events. Since the company that I work for has three communities that are close to each other, we compete against each other in these events. Each community has their own color, and they were it proudly at these annual events with specially made t-shirts and pom poms.

Our biggest event is our Senior Sports Day. It consists of approximately 15 different events, hosts about 250 competitors, and runs over three days because some event take a while to get through and residents want to play in multiple events. There is a putting contest, shuffleboard, boccie bowling, bean bag toss, race walk, ping pong, billiards, Ladderball, swimming, and more.  After all the events are played, we have lunch and an awards ceremony. Individuals get a ribbon for winning 1st, 2nd or 3rd place. The community gets a trophy based on the number of points it earns. (Each 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner earns points for the team.)

We also have other events that are fitness driven, such as a Poker Walk. The residents get together and walk at their own pace. They go along the path and find stations where they pick up a playing card from the deck. The selected card is written down on a slip of paper that they carry with them. The paper is designed so that there is a column for each suite (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs). The card they take is written under the correct column. At the end of the walk, the person with the best poker hand wins. You don't even have to know how to play poker to win! And there is no gambling either... unless you want to add that, but it is a no-no in my community. Decorations for this are easy. Red and black, card theme.....

 And, I will share one more with you now.... as this post seems to be getting a bit long. The "newest" event that we tried was a fishing tournament. We had a lot of neigh-sayers in the community for many different reasons, such as "there aren't enough men here to do something like that and the ladies won't want to get involved, we are not sure if there are fish in the lake or not, what if they don't catch any because we are using the wrong bait, hooks, etc?"  Well, let me tell you that we've done this twice now, and it is a successful event. It is definitely one of those that we could not do if the maintenance staff did not help us. They help by bring poles from home and providing the bait and hooks for us. (They are reimbursed for any expense they have for the event.) A few of the maintenance men are allowed to come outside with the residents and spend time putting the bait on the hooks for them and even helping the resident cast the line into the water. Of course, when a fish is caught, they are there also to celebrate the occasion, help record the catch and get the fish back into the water quickly. The residents really enjoy this time with the guys and I think the residents have fun with the staff.  A tent and chairs are provide by the lake for those who want to watch the action. Extra chairs are available so the resident can take one to the spot on the lake where they want to fish. And bottles of water are available for everyone.  Prizes are awarded for the biggest fish caught, the littlest fish caught and the most fish caught. One year, we had a fish fry lunch for those who participated. This past year, we did a entire fish theme party and served the community the fish dinner, decorated in fish theme and invited the residents to dress as a fisherman, sailor, etc. It was a lot of fun.

 
Do you have an interesting fitness program that you would like to share? Feel free to click the pencil at the bottom of this post and add you comments. The more we share, the better we will be at our jobs as Activities Directors, and the better quality of life we can provide to our residents.

Also, check out the Activities Director's Store. It has some good resources for your fitness program. You will find it under the "Browse by Category" link on the right side of the page.

Volunteers

Volunteers are one of the keys to a successful activities program in a retirement community. If you are like me, you need all the help that you can get. I am a one person department and rely heavily on volunteers to run the community programs and help with office tasks.

Where I work, we have a volunteer orientation process. It begins with the volunteers getting an orientation and signing paperwork that includes HIPPA guidelines and the company's guidelines. It also covers emergency procedures and other "important" topics to the corporation. I try to give this volunteer orientation at a group meeting once a year. I invite all the residents who have not attended before to attend. They get the "in-service" and the handbook that requires their signature.

I think one of the hardest thing to do is recruit and retain good volunteers. The best way of course is when a resident offers their service without having to be asked (especially when they are good at what they are doing). But that is not very often. I usually find that putting a notice into a weekly announcement in the community, putting a request onto the in-house tv channel or any other wide scoop request, does not work. I think that the best way to get the right person for the right job is to take the time to ask them personally. It means that you must get to know the residents and know what their inertest and strengths are. It means that you must explain the job responsibilities, time involved and other expectations that you have of them. Yes, it takes time.... but it shows that it is important enough and that you care if the program succeeds or fails... and that you believe in them enough to ask for their help.

Staying in touch with the volunteers during the year is also important. I can not stress how important it is to really know the people that work as your support system! Thank you goes a long way. Say it, write it in a note, tell others about how great the volunteer is and yes, have a volunteer appreciation party. Usually we have our volunteer appreciation lunch in the month of April. A helpful website to look at is Energize Inc. It has ideas, quotes, resources, courses, gifts and much more.

And, as the parent of a high school freshmen, a reminder that high school kids need community service hours. Check out colleges too.

Yes, recruiting and keeping your volunteer program strong and healthy is a lot of work, but be smart and grow your volunteer core the best way possible.

p.s. Check out my blog on Volunteer Appreciation Party ideas and books volunteer appreciation ideas.

Another Funny Video

Happy Monday! If you had a Monday like I did, you need to see something to put a smile on your face.

Here is another humorous video featuring senior adults in an independent living community. Looks like it was part of a talent show production.

Website Organization

I believe that one of the best ways to be the greatest activities director is to use your time wisely. If you are like me, you get a lot of extra jobs that administration deems to be under your umbrella. Don't get me wrong, most of the time I enjoy the opportunity to work outside my normal scope, but other times, it is overwhelming.

One of the ways that I try to save time, so that I can get it all done, is to be well organized. There are a few areas of organization that I will discuss in the future, but today, I want to start with website organization. What I mean is this: If you've gone to a website and know that you will come back to it in the future, most likely you have saved it as a "favorite." That is great!  If not, start saving favorites next time you go on-line. Now, go back to the list, and organize it. Usually, this can be done in the same location that you click the word "favorite." There probably is a button for you to "make a new folder" there. If not, right click your mouse and you will see it there. Here are a few suggestions of folders that I use on a regular basis for my favorite websites: Day trips, Entertainers, Museums, Restaurant, Shopping, Speakers, Theaters, Clip art, and Volunteers. I am sure that if I looked again that I could come up with a few more, but these are a good start. Once that is done, you've completed step two. The last step is to move the favorite sites to the folders that you've created. I find this very helpful and saves me time. It is also great to be able to answer questions from residents and co-workers quickly, since I'm usually one of the "go-to" people. I hope you find this a favorite suggestion, and that it helps you keep moving forward at work.

Special Events Resources

I love to look at the web to get ideas for my special events. Here are some of the ones that I find easy to work with and have saved as my favorites on my computer at work.

• adultpartyideas.com
• coolest-party-ideas.com
• party411.com
• toppartyideas.com/adult-parties

Do you have a favorite website for progam planning ideas? How about a party planning book that you refer to? I've listed reserched a few that look interesting. Feel free to share your favorites with us.

Movies in your community

One of the hardest things to find is a good movie to show in your retirement community. It is like trying to find the perfect receipe for meatloaf. Everyone has their own opinion on what is best. I have been told by residents that they want more current releases to be shown, but nothing with bad words or situations that will make them feel uncomfortable. Then I have residents who want more classics, or musicals, or award winning films.  So now, I try to stick with the formula and it seems to work for me. I show one current release, one classic, one musical and one that is a movie that is of interest, but not in one of those categories. I do not see all the movies usually, so I rely on resident recommendations, requests, and on the Internet to read the reviews. Some of the sites that use to find reviews are Blockbuster, the Internet Movie Data Base, Rotten Tomatoes and a new one that I just found called Movie-ozone.  I share the movies details, including it's ratings with the community in the monthly newsletter so that they have the information they need to attend the movie or not.  If you are not a computer person and rather have something in your hands to work from, I've used  Leonard Maltin's 2011 Movie Guide and found it helpful in the past. Please take a look at the Activities Director's Store. I have found some terrific musicals on DVD that residents will love. They are worth the price of having them in your private collection since you can no longer find them in the local video stores.

Activities Professional Week - January 16-21, 2011

Post it in your community and let everyone around you know!!

Check out this cool book, SENIOR ACTIVITIES PLANNING GUIDE, that I found on-line. If you click on the link, it will take you to the book and you can see the fine print on the cover. It says it has all the real categories that independent living Activities Directors need to do their job, not just the ones other employees think we do.

Funny Video about Retirement Living Residents

Welcoming New Residents

Making a move into a retirement community is a major life change. It is a date that many long time residents will remember, much like the date the graduated, got married, left military service, or when their spouse passed away.

Part of my job as the Activities Director is to welcome the new residents into the community and help make their adjustment easier. At my community, the process involves the residents and the staff. Below is our process in a nutshell.

• A staff member, who has helped them customize their new home, continues to work with them the day that they move-in. She oversees that the physical move goes smoothly. She offers to arrange for the new resident's first dinner to be brought to the apartment, instead of having them go into the dining room or casual dining area. This is usually well received because they are so tired from the move. We serve the family or other support people who are there also.
• This staff person also has sent a memo to all of our department heads, and to the welcome committee chairman, that has the new resident's contact information and move-in date on it.
• I make a welcome basket that consists of sparkling cider, cereal, snacks, and fruit. The basket is taken to the new move-in by a representative of the welcome committee on the first night of their stay. The committee member delivers the basket and at that time, sets up a time to review a handbook that will give the resident answers to the most common questions. The committee member also arranges for the new resident to have dinner for the first 5-7 days.
• A department head visits with the new resident within the first few days of their move in and reviews the welcome packet with them. They also go over emergency procedures and gives them contact information for all the department heads.
• After a month or so, depending on when there are more new residents than staff members, I organize a lunch for the new residents. There the residents get to know the other new residents who have moved in around the same time as they have. I have them play mixer games so that they can learn something about each other. The staff has an opportunity to introduce themselves and share, again, where their office is and how they can assist the resident.
• I take pictures of the new residents and post them in the Lobby for the first few weeks after they moved in. (Sometimes this is easier said than done.) Then the pictures go into a photo album that is arranged by the building they live in. This is a great referral spot for residents and staff.
• We have a monthly newsletter, and as the editor of it, I make sure that all new residents have an opportunity to have an article written about them appear shortly after they move-in. I am lucky enough to have a resident volunteer who enjoys interviewing the new residents and writing this for the newsletter.

So that is it, in a "nutshell."  If there are any ideas that you'd like to share on welcoming new residents into a independent living retirement community, please feel free to post it below so that we can all see it and learn from one another. Also, share this blog site with other associates that you know in the field. The more input that we get, the better we will be at our jobs as Activities Directors.... and the easier it will be for all of us.  Thanks!

Birthday Celebrations

So this was the day of the month that we celebrate the residents' birthdays for the month. We do this every 2nd Tuesday of the month. The program is simple, but I think, pretty affective. We have a "happy hour" before the residents go into the dining room. It features punch, two hot hor's oeuvres, a cheese and cracker platter, and a dip of some kind served in our lobby. This goes for about an hour. While they enjoy their refreshments, I give a corsage/boutonniere to those celebrating. (at my community, we put a list of those with birthdays into our monthly newsletter.... some do not want to be listed because they don't want the attention from it.... and they do not get a flower)

As the residents are taken into the dining room, those who have a flower, receive a birthday balloon. That balloon gets tied onto their chair in the dining room, so that it decorates the room and people passing the tables know right away who to wish a happy birthday to.   Once the residents are all inside, I welcome everyone, our Chaplain says a blessing, and we sing happy birthday.
The people who have a birthday person at their table, sing to them... (happy birthday dear Mary...happy bday to you).  The rest of us sing happy birthday, God bless you...happy birthday to you.  I then share a quick overview of the highlights that remain on the activities calendar, and introduce the show for the evening.

If residents don't come to the party, I have our Security department deliver their balloon and their flower to their apartment, with a note from the community's staff that says that we are sorry that they did not make it to the party and that we hope that they enjoy the flower/balloon and have a great birthday. I have use small colored bags or Chinese boxes to put the flower and note into for delivery.

This is also a night that the community tends to dress up. I think most people enjoy that also. Oh, and the meal is special also that evening.

So that is how we do it. How do you make it special at your community?

Theme Parties

Thought that I'd share with you the theme parties that I did last year and the ones that I have planned for this year. I'd love to hear about your special themed events, so feel free to brag about your best ones!

 
• An Evening in Paris
• Breakfast at Tiffany's

  

  Breakfast at Tiffany's staff

• Enjoying Italian
• Arabian Nights 

  

  Arabian Night Stage show

• Fish 'N Fun
• Tax-time Blues  
• Country Club 
• Coney Island  
• Asian Adventure



Photo Spot for Asian Adventure

A Look at Calendars

I work for a wonderful company. They are the largest non-profit company in the US, I believe. They have 23 CCRCs (continuing care retirement community) in 8 states and serves over 9,000 seniors.

Check out the link below to see the calendars. My community is called St. Andrews Estates South.

http://www.actsretirement.org/club-members/august-2012-calendars/

New Year's Eve

Hi. Now that I've had time to digest the past few busy weeks, I thought that I would share the concerns that I have with New Year's Eve and see if any of you share the same issues.

My community does not allow alcohol beverages to be consumed in the common areas or at any program that the company supports. For New Year's Eve, we do a toast with sparkling cider in champagne flutes. But here is the dilemma. The residents finish eating dinner around 7:00 p.m.  That is the time that I have all my evening programs. I know that if they leave the "club house" area that they will not return if the program was later. So, I have my celebration on 12/31 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.  We have a one-man band play dance music, have dance hosts for the single ladies, and have a little more dessert and punch for those who want it. (New Year's dinner is a fancy meal in the dinning room.)  The problem is that some people want to ring in the new year at midnight and others do not.  In the past, when I try to have a program that is from 9pm -12pm, it is just to long to hold their interest. Any suggestions on how to have a grow-up type of New Year's Eve party??

Welcome

Hello.

As an Activities Director in a Life Care Community (a retirement community with independent living, assisted living, and medical/health center) I have decided to combine my two passions together and start this blog. My first passion is my job! I have been working for the same company for the past 15 years and before that I was at a company for 10 years. I've know since high school that this was going to be the job for me!

My other passion is writing. (Notice that I did not say spelling.) I thought that I was going to be a journalist when I was younger until I realized that proper spelling was a necessity, and there was no spell check available at the time.

My goal for this blog is to share what I do in my job as activities director with other activities directors and help and inspire them. I feel that although we are competitors in the business world, that if I can help you make your resident's lives richer, than it is a winning situation for all of us! Please take time to read through the different articles here. Make sure that you follow Recharging Retirees by clicking on your preferred method, RRS Feed, FaceBook, Twitter, etc using the links found on the right side of the page. And last, but not least..... please COMMENT, COMMENT AND COMMENT SOME MORE! Together we can enhance the lives of our residents more efficiently and effectively!

Thank you!
Martha