Holistic Vision: Improve quality of Activities Program at Abba Care.
Methods:
1. Evaluate present Activity Program.
2. Create a new program according to evaluation that will be able to function independent of self.
3. Approve new program.
4. Implement by beginning of July.
Other goals:
1. Fix Office/ Activity Room.
2. Organize Anniversary.
3. Improve variety of bingo prizes.
Regulars that must be updated:
Calendars
Newsletters
I finally–possibly for the first time ever–completed an entire list of things to do. There’s an incredibly satisfying feeling to putting a long, black mark across an action you’ve taken.
I’m learning that, really, I love those black marks. Moreover, it feels really good to look at a day and see that it is full of black marks. Frequently, the reason I can’t get those black marks is because I procrastinate in a very strange sort of way. It’s not very… “I’ll do it later.” It’s more like, “Well, because of x, y, and z I can’t function and do ‘a’ and ‘b’. Therefore, once x, y, and z line up, I will do ‘a’ and ‘b’.” Though certainly, there are points where that is very true, there are other points where that is very wrong, and I don’t do ‘a’ and ‘b’ because I’m scared or lazy.
For example, today, I needed to order the bingo balls and the new exercise video. It’s not that I was terrified of asking, but I was afraid that my department wasn’t important enough to even approach the administration about such a minute thing as “Can I use the card to pay for this?” Thus, paying for the videos was not accomplished until about 4:40. It was one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, though.
I think, especially around the residents, I need to be professional, clear, and tactful. It’s very easy to become intimidated thereby becoming sloppy, less precise, boyish even. And although it’s cute, it doesn’t accomplish the task and the residents become either frustrated or confused. Neither being a result we want.
john.
Well, today has been an excellent day of working. Today I was able to get a lot done as far as planning out St. Patrick’s day. It was nice working in the morning, I feel like my mind was real sharp. Real bright. Now that the afternoon’s kicked in I feel a little more tired. So I’m glad I worked this morning.
Okay, well as for some new ideas. I feel like, having a calendar is super handy, but I need like a big white board. Just something to write ideas on and to erase as I deal with them. There’s just so many ideas floating around in my brain and I feel like the best thing to organize them would be to just get them on a space and then just delete them as they get taken care of. And whatever’s been there a while still gets dealt with instead of getting forgotten.
A regular thing to establish in B might be a regular craft or a regular gardening session. I also thought of the cooking show. Which would obviously be fun in both buildings but I feel like B really needs the most attention.
I also figured that I really tend to focus more on B when I’m there, so sometimes I need to do my brainstorming and paper work over there in order to think with the mindset of B in mind. Otherwise I’ll always design for B with the motive for A.
john.
Today, I have been planning the events for March. I find that I have the most awkward empty spaces in March.
However, that may be the best time to really assess the events program and try to get something really going here. As far as revamping the rooms and coordinating programs and trying new things with individuals. Maybe finding events and a program that works a little better than the current program.
Presently, the problem is that the ladies could have a better event program that keeps their lives social. Amidst all this, it’s important to remember the importance of putting yourself out there and just getting to know the ladies regardless of my feeling or how awkward it may feel at times. It’s not that they need more events necessarily. It’s that they need to have a sense of social life and community. Right now, I don’t feel like the event program supports that sort of goal. Better yet, that’s a goal, and we haven’t attained it.
The ladies in A remain rather isolated from one another. Rarely coming out. Rarely socializing. Except for the Chickenfoot girls, who I think, thinking about it now, tend to do significantly better than the others.
The ladies in B feel as if they’re fading. And it’d be nice if the events would help them slow that process down. The goal is for their events to help them feel positive. Or to reinforce a positive feeling regularly.
It would probably help too that I not be sick. I think it’s wearing on me.
john.
This week, I still have some work that must be finished up this week. i.e. getting ready for next week. Which I still haven’t done, but obviously should’ve been higher on the priority charts. I’ve just put it off and it needs to get done. So that’s what I’ll be working on after this.
The key things to note today:
-Newsletters don’t really work in B. Considering less than half of them are willing to do extensive reading, much less write to correspond. It’s just a different building and I’ll need to get in a new mode of thinking for them. It’s a little harder because A is able to do more.
-It’d be nice to get music at dinner in both buildings. The music would be nice to be generally slow and very mentally stimulating. But occasionally, it may be nice to throw in something spritzy. And if someone gets upset, then I just have to deal with; we can’t please EVERYONE all the time. But it’d be nice to please most of them most of the time.
-Today two residents help me put together a box craft. i thought it went well. However, we’ll have to wait and see how well that goes. I feel like half of the residents can’t read the newsletter. Someone just came up to me and said she can’t read the font. Not in so many words.
Back to the drawing board.
john.
Well, I haven’t posted in a while, but I felt that now would be an excellent time to write a few reminders and other things worth noting.
I feel like my job has finally gotten easier and harder at the same time. I feel like, it’s finally at the point where they really shouldn’t be a dull moment. There’s always something to do and it’s a great outlet for creativity. Everything’s a project and there are so many. Some new things I’ve added include:
-Mental Worksheets to keep their minds sharp
-High scores are posted for that to give a sense of light competition and community.
-The website is being worked on and some new features involving the residents are to be posted there.
-Ofcourse there’s the usual planning of events.
-I’m trying to transform some of these rooms if I ever get the time and chance to
-Resources I’m looking at are the Alzheimer’s book, the customer service tapes, and the creative forecasting magazines.
-The biweekly newsletter titled “Teatime” and all the contribution parts involved there
It’s exciting, but it is an awful lot of work.
john.
So today after school some of my friends just happened to be talking about how much they love organizing things and events. And I talked about how much I can’t organize but how well I can think up stuff. So we thought we’d collaborate.
Today I called Chloe to get some help on getting together this Valentine’s reception. For the life of me, I knew what was going on, but couldn’t get it down to any sort of order or structure as to how to get ready for it. However, after talking to Chloe, I somehow got everything into a list and got it into a structured format that I could understand and follow to finish off the event. Chloe, if you ever find this, Thanks!
The rest of my day went MUCH better. I had some structure and added projects on as they were needed. At the end I evaluated the wii and I brainstormed a way to introduce it. Gradually introduce it as a mystery item in the Towncrier and finally release it in May or April to the residents and make it so it accompanies a partner youth. Kinda like Project Runway or things like that.
Phew.
john.
Work is so strange in the sense that I feel like I don’t get anything done, yet at the end of the day, I find that I have accomplished quite a bit. By the time it’s time to take notes I really have done quite a bit, but I find it’s not always the most immediately rewarding.
Today, I worked with a volunteer and coordinated him some. I also talked with Ms. Pauline and Ms. Katherine–both being very different but most enjoyable. Finished off the interviews. Finished off the Newsletter. It should be ready to print next week. I’m really a bit ahead of schedule so I need to know what’s next. Sometimes the trouble is when I don’t have anything to do, I don’t know what to do or what to make to encourage them to do. I want to make more individualized events, but I just have trouble doing it. This job is not the most structured so it’s not easy. However, it’s something I should learn because it’s going to be very important as far as other things in life. Really, it’s a skill–event planning and project management. And I just don’t really have a good grasp of it yet. But I’m trying.
john.
Possibly the best thing ever, I did today. And that was to sit with one of the residents and put together a puzzle with them. I just kinda joined in. It wasn’t something I asked to do, it was more just something I joined in. And I think it helped both of us. I felt better because I felt like I was doing something she enjoyed and she was having a good time. She took her puzzle game “further” if you will. I feel like there was a lot she couldn’t have done had I not been there. Almost a sort of symbiosis. So that’s probably been the best activity I’ve done yet. We even have a slight joke. “Gerbils in Libya”
So I think personal things like that are pretty effective. I think events are great, but sometimes the best are the spontaneous things you do. Stopping for a minute or two and just talking with one of them for a while. Baking cookies which makes them come out and grab something and stop for a second. Popping popcorn and letting them come and take some back to their room. Sitting and watching a fun show with them for a bit. Sometimes those seem to be the most therapeutic. And then focusing my efforts on pulling things off like this Valentine’s reception.
john.
Okay, so here’s the deal.
I was reading this little award thing for your staff and one was “Bridge Builder”. Now I would like to be a builder of bridges. I know there’s a problem right now with our activities system. But I’m going to fix it. It’s more just like, I feel like our people are bored or bothered by routine. And I aim to fix that. So, on days, when I feel like I can’t do anything, I need to remember, there’s always a new event to plan because I aim to build a bridge and get this system working.
I think that the problem at times is that I research too much and do very little. So a new goal of mine is to balance that out by doing research and executing an event based on that research WEEKLY. At least a ten dollar event. The problem sometimes is that my personal budget is low and it’s hard to dish out an event. But I can dish out a ten dollar budget event weekly. A store. A discussion. A tea party. A food social. I can do it.
john.
