Activity Ideas

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you purchase by clicking on my links.

Since 1988, math enthusiasts have celebrated Pi Day on March 14.  For those of you not familiar with Pi, it’s a mathematical symbol whose first three digits correspond with the numerical date of 3.14.

Okay, I’ll admit that math has never been one of my strong points. If you have any former math teachers among your residents, I’m sure they can do a much better job of explaining the significance of Pi. Or, you can find a good general description of Pi on this math site.

But, no matter how much we do or don’t understand the concept, Pi Day remains a fun day to celebrate in our senior living communities. Here’s how:

[Read more…] about Let’s Celebrate Pi Day!

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.

I hope you plan to make a big deal about Leap Day at your nursing home next month. After all, we only get to celebrate it once every four years! I know your residents will enjoy these fun Leap Day activities.

Create a Leap Year time capsule

Help your residents create a time capsule to open on Leap Day in 2024. These are a few items you may wish to include. I’m sure your residents can come up with lots of other great suggestions, too.

[Read more…] about Fun Activities For Leap Day

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.

I’m guessing most of you are busy planning lots of fun Valentine’s Day-themed activities for next month. But what about the residents who, for one reason or another, don’t look forward to red hearts and love songs?

There’s another holiday we can celebrate on February 14 that these residents are sure to enjoy. It’s National Ferris Wheel Day! After all, who hasn’t ridden on a Ferris wheel at some time in their life?

Ferris Wheel Day honors George Ferris, who built the first Ferris wheel for the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. He was born on February 14, 1859.

Check out these activities you can offer in addition to your Valentine’s Day celebration:

[Read more…] about Let’s Celebrate National Ferris Wheel Day on February 14

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.

Recently, a reader contacted me with a question about a situation that’s all too common at this time of year. Because of an outbreak of influenza in her nursing home, group activities were being limited. Also, any residents with symptoms of illness had to stay in their rooms. She wanted suggestions for solitary activities she could offer to her residents.

There are several other situations, too, where solitary activities may be needed. For example, a resident might feel fine and want to remain active, but they require isolation precautions for a contagious infection.

Or you might have an outbreak of scabies on your unit, and the residents must live under quarantine until they complete treatment. (Icky, yes, but it happens!) Furthermore, a resident might need to spend a lot of time in their room for their own protection while undergoing treatment for cancer or another illness.

[Read more…] about 7 Solitary Activities To Offer When Residents Are Ill

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.

After all the excitement and busyness of the holiday season, January can seem like a bit of a letdown. I find this to be especially true here in the North where the long, cold winter looms before us. That’s why it’s important to come up with a wide variety of creative activities that our residents will enjoy.

A favorite activity is celebrating National Bird Day on January 5. That’s because it allows us to enjoy a bit of the outdoors without actually going outside.

[Read more…] about Fun Ways To Celebrate National Bird Day