Create Inspirational Signs for Staff

Place inspirational signs around your community or coming to and from your community. If you can’t hang up signs, consider some sidewalk chalk signs like these designs from Emily Shackleford at Pleasant Valley Health Care Center.

Create a Community Video

This is a fun way to break up the day to day and help remind staff that their work matters. Here are some inspirational videos from keeping Covid-19 tips top of mind, to fun dances from staff and residents alike:

Create a Meme Wall

Laughter is the best medicine. Create a board in your staff communal areas and allow residents to print and put up memes of their choice. 

Hide Surprise Inspiration

Everyone can use a pick-me-up these days. Playing off of the idiom, “Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck”, print out large pennies and place quotes on the back. Leave/hide these around your community for staff to find.

Decorate Doors

This is a great way to incorporate residents into the fold. Have residents write inspirational quotes, jokes or thank yous to teams. Using the quotes and decorations like streamers, cut-out shapes or pictures, have residents decorate their doors for staff to see. 

Create a Hand Heart Wreath 

Another way to incorporate the whole community is to create a heart wreath, a great idea from Oak Park Place Madison! Have residents trace their hands and cut them out. You can even have them add notes of inspiration. Place all the hands together in a wreath to symbolize unity among your community.

Hang Hand Sanitizer Birds

Just for laughs, this creative idea hangs different birds from hand sanitizers and mimics bird pooping. Mimic this seagull for inspiration or use the following templates to print a duck outline here.

Host Spirit Weeks

Hosting spirit weeks are a great way to maintain normalcy for residents and allow staff to get creative, regardless of what department they are a part of. Simple and effective, this is an easy and cost effective way to lift spirits. Another great idea that is easy for staff to dress up their day-to-day is leaving these fun “Free Smiles” that can be taped onto masks.

Reinforce Self-Care

During this time, make sure your team is supported and is taking time for self-care. Consider hosting an essential oils workshop, carving out time for residents to video chat with their family throughout the day and promoting wellness activities like yoga and meditation.

Host Food Parties

Consider contacting some local businesses and see if they are willing to donate and/or discount food for healthcare workers. If unable, try to host a food party as a sign of appreciation to teams.