| Activities Directors Quarterly ® | |||||||||||||||||||
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Publications American Journal of Disaster Medicine Opioid Management
Society Journal of Neurodegeneration & Regeneration Activities Directors' Quarterly for Alzheimer's & Other Dementia Patients American Journal of Recreation Therapy |
Winter 2004; pages 4-12 Abstract The Positive Interactions Program is a series of activities and planned interactions that encourage the AD person to experience success through various sensory focused tasks as well as daily living and physical activities. These activities have been grouped into categories and broken down individually into sequential steps. This article is designed to provide the information you need to utilize these activities. The AD patient’s present abilities, at whatever level, are the focus of the individualized program. The purpose is not to regain lost skills or to learn new skills. You will not be successful if you are aiming beyond the patient’s level. The magic of the Positive Interactions Program lies in the quality of interaction, rather than the ability of the patient to complete the task.
Winter 2004; pages 13-18 Abstract The overall objective of using old time radio (OTR) as entertainment therapy is to en-courage residents to recall happier times through pleasant memories associated with the time period when they listened to the radio as either children or young adults. This time period is the memory sweet spot for the population aged from about 65 to 85 years, and their listening experiences include programs broadcast during the late 1930s to the early 1950s—usually regarded as radio’s golden age. While it has been relatively easy to implement this programming with nondementia residents, the challenge is to find ways to stimulate the long-term memories of dementia patients and unlock happy times for them as well. The goal is to try to reach everyone, even if only for a short time during the session.
Winter 2004; pages 23-26 Abstract The opportunity to interact with a dog, cat, or other companion animal can have a very positive impact upon a resident’s quality of life. The Gulf Coast Pet Partners (GCPP) and the Florida Gulf Coast University Center for Positive Aging (CFPA) have teamed up to offer animal-assisted therapy for long-term care residents, especially those who may be unresponsive to other interventions. An overview of the Pet Partners program is provided here, with the hope that other activity professionals will be inspired and enabled to establish such partnerships in their locations.
Winter 2004; pages 27-36 Abstract The Bright Eyes program is a sensory stimulation intervention for men and women suffering from advanced dementia. It has resulted in improvements in their functioning and connection with the world around them. Although sensory stimulation is part of the repertoire of many activities personnel who work with elderly, cognitively impaired people, the Bright Eyes intervention is distinct insofar as it is a well-thought-out, theoretically grounded, and empirically studied series of activities. This interview describes the process of developing and implementing the Bright Eyes program and the outcomes used to measure its effectiveness in enhancing quality of life for elderly individuals with advanced dementia. Book review Exercise for Frail Elders, by Elizabeth Best-Martini and Kim A. Botenhagen- Digenova. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2003; 228 pages. Karen Croteau, EdD; Nancy E. Richeson, PhD, CTRS Winter 2004; pages 37-39 Activities Directors Quarterly Spring 2004, Volume 5, Number 2
Spring 2004; pages 5-7 Abstract Despite physical and cognitive deterioration, the very old still manifest the need to wrap up the loose ends of their lives. Validation theory is based on the belief that it is normal and age-appropriate for the elderly to return to the past in an effort to resolve unfinished business or life struggles. Caregivers trained in validation techniques can help clients resolve and achieve a degree of peace with such issues by encouraging them to share what they’re experiencing, mirroring their emotions and encouraging them to express their needs.
Spring 2004; pages 8-14 Abstract This article focuses on the specifics of dementia programming within an assisted living setting. Twenty residents of a facility in Rochester, Minnesota were enrolled in the special programming. Although these residents were unable to live independently and required assistance with their daily care in varying degrees, they did not require the degree of skilled nursing supplied in a nursing home. The components of the programming are described, and case descriptions are included to provide examples of the increased self-esteem and overall quality of life experienced by residents participating in the program.
Spring 2004; pages 15-18 Abstract Traditional pet therapy enhances individual well-being. However, there are situations where a substitute artificial companion (i.e., robotic pet) may serve as a better alternative in situations where it is difficult to care for a real pet (when people are allergic to pets, for example). We recent- ly compared the benefits of a robotic cat and a plush toy cat for elderly persons with dementia at a special care unit. People who interacted with both types of cats enjoyed the experience and were less agitated during the intervention. This article may help you decide whether to use robotic cats in your environment.
Spring 2004; pages 23-26 Abstract While Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is killing brain cells, it is also killing the patient’s dictionary and retrieval system. He or she undergoes an often visible struggle to find words, string them into sentences, and say these sentences. Activities directors and staff must develop specific skills to communicate effectively with dementia patients. The objectives of this article are to help activities directors and other caregivers to improve communication with AD patients and to sustain communication as long as possible. The guidelines provided are based on medical research and on the author’s own experience with her mother.
Spring 2004; pages 29-36 Abstract Devorah Greenstein and Charlotte Coffman remind us that persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) often have difficulty with verbal communication. They may even shout and curse, making caregiver and family interaction difficult. In contrast, persons with dementia are often still physically able and enjoy fine- and gross-motor activities. Thus, if residents can express themselves physically (e.g., by tossing a ball back and forth) during visits, family members of all ages can also enjoy the visit. Simple Gifts provides 16 recreational projects for volunteer organizations to make and donate to long-term care facilities. The projects are designed to improve family/resident interactions when verbal communication is impaired. Video review “Lunchbreak with Tony,” and “Gonna Do a Little Music,” the Video Respite® series. Thaya Gilmore, PhD Spring 2004; pages 37-39 Activities Directors Quarterly Summer 2004, Volume 5, Number 3
Summer 2004; pages 4-12 Abstract Our five senses are essential to our understanding and appreciation of the world. With advancing years, however, declines in sensory functioning are inevitable. Moreover, deficits in sensory functioning are worse for older adults with dementia. Sensory stimulation is a technique that can facilitate communication with and provide pleasure for people with dementia.
Summer 2004; pages 13-21 Abstract This article is an overview of the best practices for setting up valuable and realistic volunteer programs for residential facilities serving persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia. These practices include identifying specific needs before creating programs, packaging programs that are user-friendly and realistic for potential volunteers, preparing and distributing flyers for volunteer recruitment, and educating potential volunteers through group presentations. Recruitment practices for volunteers working with groups, as well as within special volunteer partnerships, are described. A series of eight packaged and prepared volunteer activities are included, for trainers and volunteers to use according to their needs.
Summer 2004; pages 27-41 Abstract Elders suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other progressive dementias experience opportunities for social and emotional interactions throughout the duration of their illnesses. Prescriptive, strength- based activities that emphasize each cognitively impaired individuals’ previous talents and learning styles as well as their current capabilities ensures optimal benefit and participation for all.
Summer 2004; pages 42-48 Abstract Animal-assisted activities (AAA) are often confused with animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in healthcare settings. The goals of this article are to provide the recreation director with an understanding of the differences between the two types of services, highlight specific AAA programs that can be offered in any long-term care setting, describe the benefits of AAA programs, and accommodate risk management concerns. Activities Directors Quarterly Fall 2004, Volume 5, Number 4
Fall 2004; pages 4-6 Abstract Persons with dementia have difficulty understanding what is being said to them and formulating responses. This can lead to misunderstandings and stressful situations when interacting with caregivers. If caregivers understand the impairments caused by the disease and adopt some simple communication skills, they can interact effectively and smooth the process of completing daily tasks.
Fall 2004; pages 7-11 Abstract In the institutional setting, it is not unusual for a person with dementia to engage in agitation behaviors such as screaming, yelling, swearing, or crying for extended periods of time. This article explores the use of self-soothing techniques as a method to calm persons who have become distressed. Self-soothing is a safe, nonpharmacologic alternative for restoring peace of mind to nursing home residents and their caregivers.
Fall 2004; pages 13-18 Abstract Day care for the cognitively impaired is one of the fastest growing areas of programming to provide care and treatment for the effected individuals and to give support and respite to the caregivers. These day care programs usually try to provide a structured, yet stimulating, atmosphere for the participants; however, it is a challenge to design meaningful activities for the person with dementia. The Comprehensive Services on Aging (COPSA) Day Program has developed a group poetry writing activity which has been used with great success for more than four years.
Fall 2004; pages 23-31 Abstract A gentle aquatic exercise program can be designed to improve the range of motion, strength, balance, and functional mobility of persons with dementia. Safety in the aquatic environment is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the program requires that you obtain a physician’s consent form, emergency information form, emergency action plan, knowledge of contraindications of participants and pool precautions, and additional caregivers to assist clients in the pool and with dressing. The person running the program must acquire knowledge concerning the pool facility including the location of steps, handrails, surface areas, and accessibility to locker rooms. Once you have identified the staff, facility, and participants and noted any precautions, you can design a simple, fun exercise program. Songs, socialization, and movement performed in the gravity-reduced, resistive environment of the water will improve the participants’ functional mobility, respiratory capacity, endurance, and sense of well-being.
Fall 2004; pages 33-40 Abstract The Artifacts Program is a joint therapeutic initiative between the Psychogeriatric Clinic of Ottawa General Hospital, the Ottawa-Carleton Homes for the Aged, and Ottawa’s Billings Estate Museum. The aim is to help residents recall the pleasures and achievements of their lives through the handling and discussion of tools, clothing, and other implements dating from the turn of the century to the early sixties. These implements stimulate ingrained patterns of movement and acquired knowledge that reflected competencies the resident might not have been able to demonstrate or recall in dependently. The program provides an opportunity for participants to recollect a time when they were productive, respected, and competent and to step back for a moment from being defined instead by their incapacities. |
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