| 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 2007; pages 3-6 Abstract This article will discuss the use of animal-assisted therapy as a therapeutic intervention to treat pain and depression in older adults with severe dementia. To implement this intervention, an understanding of the use of recreation as a nondrug approach to treating clinical problems such as pain and depression is needed. A review of the recreation therapy literature is a recommended starting point.
Winter 2007; pages 7-12 Abstract As many as 4 million institutionalized and community-dwelling older adult Americans suffer from dementia-related syndrome and experience a decline in cognition, memory, activities of daily living, language, judgment, and spatial perception. These older adults’ communication becomes more behavioral in nature, and many exhibit agitation, aggression, paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, sleep disorders, and inappropriate vocalizations. Developing innovative, nonpharmacological intervention strategies is essential for enhancing care. The purpose of this article is to present the development, implementation, and evaluation of a nonpharmacological innovative intervention strategy in a long-term care dementia unit. Our experience with the Hallway Video Enhancement Project intervention strategy provides preliminary qualitative evidence as to the potential effectiveness of this specific type of nonpharmacological intervention. Positive outcomes for residents, staff, and family were noted.
Winter 2007; pages 13-33 Abstract Adult day health services (ADHS) are an increasingly important component of the continuum of home- and community-based services needed to support frail older adults who wish to live at home. Over the last two decades, two primary models of ADHS have been described, one that addresses the health and medical needs of older adults and another that targets unmet social needs. This paper discusses the development of the H.E.A.L. model of care, whose acronym stands for health, environment, arts and humanities, and lifelong learning. The H.E.A.L. model evolved from observations of older adults who utilized ADHS in one community; knowledge based on theories of aging, environment, and personhood; and the desire to promote well-being, dignity, self-worth, and function among frail older adults by creating opportunities to engage in personally meaningful activities.
Abstract Making a rain barrel
Abstract March, April, May
Abstract Spring flowers
Winter 2007; pages 34-46 Abstract We have belittled the son of man by giving him foolish and degrading toys, a world of idleness where he is suffocated by a badly conceived discipline . . . [but] intellectual and moral care make possible for him the highest spiritual joy, and send him forward into a world where continual surprises and discoveries await him; not only in the external environment, but in the intimate recesses of his own soul. —Maria Montessori1
Winter 2007; pages 47-48 Abstract Strangers in Good Company, First Run Features, 1999. 105 minutes. Activities Directors Quarterly Spring 2007, Volume 8, Number 2
Spring 2007; pages 3-4 Abstract Pet therapy is more than meets the eye
Spring 2007; pages 5-7
Spring 2007; pages 8-12 Abstract Being an activities director is a lot of hard work, but it can also be rewarding and exciting. In fact, as most of us know, if you’re truly happy with your job, it hardly seems like work at all. In this article, one activities director shares some of the many reasons for why she can’t imagine doing anything else.
Spring 2007; pages 13-22 Abstract This paper describes an observational study of Alzheimer’s patients’ expressed emotions and social behavior during structured recreation therapy as opposed to that observed during “ordinary time” on their units. The findings indicate that residents expressed happiness over seven times more often during recreation than during ordinary time. In addition, 43.8 percent of residents expressed happiness only during recreation. Over 60 percent of ordinary time was spent in solitude, with 48.9 percent of all behavior coded as “null behavior” (indicating that the resident was sitting and doing nothing) and 65.7 percent of all expressed emotions coded as “null affect.” Findings provide clear evidence of the importance of structured recreation therapy in improving positive affect among Alzheimer’s residents.
Abstract Flower arranging
Abstract June, July, and August
Abstract Rings on Hooks
Spring 2007; pages 27-35 Abstract In nursing homes, increasing emphasis is being placed upon the provision of activities that are meaningful and that match the lifelong activity interests and patterns of elders. The recent changes made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to their surveyor guidelines speak to the need for staff to work to-gether to ensure elders have opportunities to engage in meaningful activities. The purpose of this article is to provide activities directors with a new model of activities, the Core + Balance Model, which fosters staff cooperation in order to enhance elders’ engagement in a rich array of meaningful activities.
Spring 2007; pages 36-40 Abstract This study explored the potential of structured brain fitness exercises for improving the cognition and mood of older adults attending therapeutic day programs. In our convenience sample of 13 older adults with a diagnosis of dementia attending weekly one-hour brain fitness classes, slight improvements were seen in scores for cognition, depression, and independent activities of daily living. Evidence suggests that challenging and participant- appropriate cognitive exercises should be a key component of every recreation therapy program.
Spring 2007; pages 41-45 Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate physiological effects of three small-group relaxation interventions on the heart rate and peripheral skin temperature of individual participants with moderate dementia. In the second phase of the study, the purpose was to design a video tape that could be used at home for relaxation sessions. Overall, we hoped to determine if relaxation tapes used in the home would have a positive impact on participants’ anxiety.
Spring 2007; pages 46-48 Abstract Sundowning, Gum Spirits Productions, 2005. 123 minutes. Activities Directors Quarterly Summer 2007, Volume 8, Number 3
Summer 2007; pages 3-6 Abstract I recently spent a week in Stavanger, Norway as a guest of the Norwegian Government and a fellow long term care researcher Ingelin Testad. During this trip I had the opportunity to visit several outstanding Norwegian care facilities providing “model care for people with dementia” and was amazed at the simple and effective differences between our care cultures. I would like to share with you relevant information to support further learning from our Norwegian colleagues and vice versa.
Summer 2007; pages 7-14 Abstract Describe the impact of the neuropsychiatric aspects of late-stage Parkinson's disease; List cognitive deficits that may impact recreational activities for people with late-stage Parkinson's disease; Understand the impact of strict medication management on the ability of people with late-stage Parkinson's disease to participate in activities of daily living and recreation; Discuss how vital exercise is in maintaining quality of life for people with Parkinson's (PWP); Describe the therapeutic benefits of music and the creative arts for people with late-stage Parkinson's disease; and Understand the important role that activity and recreational staff play in maintaining quality of life for PWP in the long-term setting.
Summer 2007; pages 15-18 Abstract Chair volleyball is an exciting, physical-based program that is easy to implement and low in cost. Clients of all physical and cognitive functioning are able to participate in this team "sport." This article describes what equipment is required, how the game is played and suggested outcomes for clients.
Summer 2007; pages 19-22 Abstract Reminiscence therapy has been shown to improve affect and quality of life in older adults. By adding a spiritual component, individuals with spiritual or religious interests can increase these benefits. This literature review explores the process of structured reminiscence, or “life review,” and the ways in which it can be used to extract personal meaning from events.
Abstract September, October, and November
Summer 2007; pages 27-28 Abstract Respite: a temporary relief from harm or discomfort; an interruption in the intensity or amount of something; the act of reprieving, postponing or remitting the administration of punishment; a pause for relaxation. —Answers.com
Summer 2007; pages 29-41 Abstract This pilot project examined the effect of normalized activities on cognition and independent activities of daily living (ADL) for older adults with early-stage dementia. Participants were recruited from a therapeutic day program, had Mini-Mental State Examination scores between 19 and 23, and had attended the day program for at least six months. Two treatment groups and one control group was compared. One treatment group received lessons in complex dowel exercise movements and the other treatment group received piano lessons. All groups continued with the therapeutic day program. Pretesting and post-testing were performed on cognition utilizing the Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail-making, Verbal fluency test, and A test. Depression was measured with the Geriatric depression scale, and ADL were measured using the Bristol ADL scale. Participants received one-on-one lessons three times a week for six weeks. The piano lessons were developed and taught by a recreational therapist with musical training while a geriatric nurse practitioner developed the dowel lessons. Lesson protocol for instructions utilized the same facilitation technique for both groups. Encouraging positive results makes these types of interventions something worth investigating further.
Summer 2007; pages 42-46 Abstract A dream catcher is a small, round or tear-shaped frame with sinew strands tied in a web form in the center; in Native American cultures, it has significance as a symbol of protection. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how this symbol can be used, in conjunction with a meditative practice, to alleviate the symptoms of depression in older adults with early-stage dementia. Activities Directors Quarterly Fall 2007, Volume 8, Number 4
Fall 2007; pages 5-7 Abstract This article provides simple tips for interacting with residents with dementia. These tips may also be taught to family members to improve the quality of their visits.
Fall 2007; pages 8-10 Abstract The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, June 1, 2006, updated the Federal Tag 248 (§483.15) (f), to include an ongoing program of activities designed to meet, in accordance to the comprehensive assessment, the interests and physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident.1 Part of this update will be the inclusion of the interdisciplinary team, including social services to help facilitate the resident’s participation in activities. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to highlight how social services can work to overcome barriers and facilitate the resident’s participation in activity programs.
Fall 2007; pages 11-14 Abstract This article will discuss research that has been completed on Total Unit programming in dementia care. Many of the studies are interdisciplinary in their approach and thus help bring the entire staff into the unit programming plan. This approach is helpful in meeting the new regulations and improving involvement of residents with behavioral issues. The research referenced in this article can provide activities and recreational therapy professionals with the evidence needed to involve the entire team. This review of research was completed by Fitzsimmons and Buettner, and spans the interdisciplinary nursing home literature until 2007.
Fall 2007; pages 15-21 Abstract This article, by a health writer and family caregiver, tells how one family adjusted activities to a loved one’s vascular dementia. The article has three main parts: Focusing on the Individual, Focusing on Health, and Focusing on Enjoyment. Healthcare professionals who work in nursing homes, adult day care, and assisted living will find the article useful. Family caregivers will find it useful as well. This article has four objectives: 1) raise awareness of the symptoms of vascular dementia, 2) understand the need for continuing activities, 3) learn about factors to consider before planning activities, and 4) provide examples of activities adjusted to progressive vascular dementia.
Abstract December, January, February
Fall 2007; pages 27-30 Abstract Offering a wide variety of recreational activities throughout the day to nursing home residents can play a large part in improved sleep patterns. This paper outlines six ways to contribute to their care plan and increase their stimulation. By following these simple tips, you can not only help improve sleep patterns but improve their quality of life.
Fall 2007; pages 31-35 Abstract The purpose of this article is to provide the recreation professional working in long-term care an understanding of how to meet the spiritual needs of the older adults they serve by providing recreation opportunities that promote paths to connecting with the true self— the spirit.
Fall 2007; pages 37-47 Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common and disabling problem in long-term care settings. Exercise and pain management are critical parts of quality of life for elders with OA; however, very few recreational therapy exercise programs have been designed to meet the special needs of this group. With the nursing home regulations now focused on individualized approaches, this program offers an important avenue long-term care providers should consider. People with OA experience pain and limited mobility. It has been proven that physical activity is the best way to reduce the pain related to OA. This article will describe one model program, tools to measure outcomes, and the potential impact on older adults in long-term care settings. |
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