We're into Wii

Wii Bowling is a strike in my community! It is a program that we started a few years ago, and thanks to an active resident, it has continued on very successfully. The team practices a couple of times a week and the community residents who are not on the team, play a few times a week also. They play morning, noon and night. They play in the Auditorium and then they play in a smaller activity room. It doesn't really matter, as long as they play! The team is currently in a competition that is national. It is through the National Senior League.

This is a great activity because of the exercise the resident gets, the team fellowship, the fun that they have and the fact that it does not cost the community very much money. And, if you have a good PR person and a good team, it gets into the newspaper... which means good public relations for your community.

Our group has tried to play tennis with the Wii and that did not last very long. I'm wondering if anyone else has tried and had any success with other Wii activities. Please share how Wii is used in your community.

When a Resident Passes Away

One of the hardest parts of being an activities director in independent living is the loss of a resident who you are close to. I know that you have experienced this too, if you have been in the business for very long. After 20 plus years, it has become easier, but I learned this week that it is still something that I think about and try to come to terms with. I use to think that if I did not take the time to really get to know a resident, then when they passed away, that it would not hurt me so badly.
What I've learned lately are these two important lessons. The first was how losing a spouse effects the surviving spouse or partner. I learned this while going through a two-year period with my in-laws. It is totally different than what I thought was going on with my residents when one was sick. Because I would only see the healthy spouse, it was easy to block out what was happening behind the closed doors of their apartment. Now, I know better (but I'm sure that it is not the same as when it is your spouse of 60 plus years!)  and I feel more capable of offering support and comfort to the resident caring for their partner. And the second lesson is something that is obvious, but yet, until someone said it to me this past week, was not really in my mind. If you don't get to know a resident well enough to mourn their loss when they are gone, you might have missed out on a great opportunity to know a wonderful person, learn a life-lesson, or have an enjoyable moment with them. As I said, this is one of the hardest parts of the job. I sure would love to hear how you manage this element of the job.

Time Managment

The residents in my community are wonderful .... okay, most of the time they are wonderful. When they like something, they tell you and of course if they don't like something, there are a few who "owe it to me" to tell me the truth. What I like is that they think that I am a hard worker and that I am there all the time. But you and I know that nowadays, with the economy the way that it is, that I am not allowed to have very much overtime. I am fortune enough to have supervisors who understand the idea of a flexible schedule, allowing me to be off when I need to work late. This is so helpful, especially because I have a family that I want to be available for. I sure hope that you have a boss who allows you time off when you need it, so that you are not working 40 plus hours each week. If you don't, it might be worth a conversation - especially in these economic times, since you'd be saving the company money. But, on the other hand, if you can get the OT, and your life can manage it without giving up the truly important things in life (family, friends, mental and physical health, etc.) then go for it!

Dance Hosts for Hire

This is a great article, and it is about one of my company's communities. It is about the 3 -1 ratio of women to men and I bet that it affects you in your community also. It does at my place.  How do you make a dance at your community successful for the single ladies? We hire dance hosts! Check it out  by clicking on the links below.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110213/ap_on_re_us/us_seniors_lonely_valentines

Here is a video clip from World News Tonight from our community also! http://abcnews.go.com/US/shortage-men-retirement-home-prompts-hire-dance-partners/story?id=12912243

Defensive Driving

As I watch the morning news, and see yet another senior driver traveling down the wrong way on the interstate, I have to wonder...... what are you as the activities director doing in your community to meet the needs of your driving residents? Every six months, I offer the residents an opportunity to take a defensive driving class. The class is offered through AARP, and is accepted by most insurance companies so that the resident can get a discount on their rates.  Yes, our management team speaks to the resident, and/or their family when it becomes obvious that having the keys to their car is no longer a good idea.......but now, I wonder, is there something more that I can do? So, please, if there is something that is successful in your community, we'd all love to hear it!

You may also want to check on my blog called AAA Senior Car-Fit for Seniors.