National Skilled Nursing Care Week recognizes the incredible dedication demonstrated at all levels of care in senior living facilities. Every day, community staff make meaningful impacts in their residents lives and towards a better future for seniors. This year, The American Health Care Association (AHCA) announced ‘Live Soulfully’ as the theme which focuses on how healthy minds and happy souls are achieved in their communities. This year the celebration takes place between May 12th – 18th.
Below are five fun activity ideas for your community to “Live Soulfully” during National Skilled Nursing Care Week.
go soul searching!
Cut out hearts drawn on the cardstock or paper. Residents can help with this as it will help with recognition when they go to hunt for the hearts. You could write clues on where the hearts are hidden or simply number the back of the hearts to keep track of how many are left. Hide these hearts around the community or around a large activity room. Have residents go searching and reward the winner with a special treat!
fact or fiction?
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! First, brainstorm a list of events that includes both true and made-up news stories (an example of a made-up news story could be about a new law in Idaho that states potatoes can only be served mashed and never roasted). Then print out two images (one that says “Fact!” and one that says “Fiction!”) for each resident who will be playing. Throughout the game, keep score of how many news stories each resident correctly guessed were fact or fiction. The resident with the highest number of correct guesses wins!
all the colors in the wind
Music therapy is a wonderful way to engage the mind. Combine music therapy with a free form, upper body exercise for your residents. Play
music for your resident through you Eversound headphones. Pass out ribbon streamers and encourage residents to wave them around to the music to create a colorful exercise class! Here is a free playlist to get you started!
meditation station
Did you know mindfulness and meditation training can actually support healthy aging? Meditation has a wide range of physical and emotional benefits that your residents will love (here are 6 key benefits for older adults!). Take a deep breathe and spend a day focused on mindfulness and meditation. Use Eversound to block out distractions and allow residents to focus and fully enjoy the program. Here is a free meditation playlist!
pay it forward
What better soup for the soul than random acts of kindness? Host a discussion around small acts of kindness that your residents have
done for others. Have residents volunteer, do a small act of kindness for fellow residents or a staff member and ask that they pass it on themselves. The small act may be picking up something someone has dropped, or telling them their haircut looks nice, or even help a staff member set up for a program. Get more inspiration here!
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