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Thursday, November 8, 2007
Westchester Gardens-Holiday Brainstorm!
THIS IS A PROGRAM I HAVE HAD MUCH SUCCESS WITH IN THE PAST.
PICTURES WITH SANTA; NEED SANTA SUIT,DIGITAL CAMERA.HOLIDAY PICTURE CARDS( FOUND AT CVS, WALGREENS, AND EKHART DRUG), HOLIDAY HATS (OFFER CHOICES) FOR RESIDENTS, PICTURES CAN THEN BE ADDRESSED AND SENT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF RESIDENT CHOICE,I ALWAYS MAKE 2 COPIES SO RESIDENT CAN HAVE ONE FOR THEMSELVES, ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST WITH DISPLAYING AND SENDING OUT MAKES A GREAT MARKETING TOOL. USUALLY TAKES SEVERAL SITTING DAYS AND WE PLAY HOLIDAY MUSIC AND OFFER HOLIDAY REFRESHMENTS IE; CIDER,COOKIES ETC DURING LOTS OF LAUGHS AND FUN!! MY STAFF AND MYSELF ARE DRESSED UP AS ELVES, SANTAS LITTLE HELPERS.
MAUREEN COOK ADC WESTCHESTER GARDENS
PICTURES WITH SANTA; NEED SANTA SUIT,DIGITAL CAMERA.HOLIDAY PICTURE CARDS( FOUND AT CVS, WALGREENS, AND EKHART DRUG), HOLIDAY HATS (OFFER CHOICES) FOR RESIDENTS, PICTURES CAN THEN BE ADDRESSED AND SENT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF RESIDENT CHOICE,I ALWAYS MAKE 2 COPIES SO RESIDENT CAN HAVE ONE FOR THEMSELVES, ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST WITH DISPLAYING AND SENDING OUT MAKES A GREAT MARKETING TOOL. USUALLY TAKES SEVERAL SITTING DAYS AND WE PLAY HOLIDAY MUSIC AND OFFER HOLIDAY REFRESHMENTS IE; CIDER,COOKIES ETC DURING LOTS OF LAUGHS AND FUN!! MY STAFF AND MYSELF ARE DRESSED UP AS ELVES, SANTAS LITTLE HELPERS.
MAUREEN COOK ADC WESTCHESTER GARDENS
Miramont Pointe-Holiday Brainstorm!
Last year we had a fudge making contest at Christmas time. Residents, their families, and staff entered close to 25 different kinds of fudge. We numbered the fudge and made tags stating what kind it was, peanut butter, white chocolate almond etc. the residents voted on the best fudge 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. We had gift cards as prices. The real fun was that everyone got a plastic goody bag and took home a piece of each kind of fudge, or their favorites. We also had plenty of water on hand. We had a real sweet time.
We also host a breakfast with Santa for staff and their children and residents and their great and great grandchildren. One of the residents families takes pictures of children on Santa’s lap and we are able to print them immediately (modern technology) and we buy cute picture sleeves at the dollar store. We have carolers that stroll around singing Christmas songs. Everyone enjoys a buffet style breakfast. We send each child home with some snowman soup, (mug with hot chocolate, marshmallows and a candy cane in it). It is a highlight event for many.
Shelly Barley, Activity Director
We also host a breakfast with Santa for staff and their children and residents and their great and great grandchildren. One of the residents families takes pictures of children on Santa’s lap and we are able to print them immediately (modern technology) and we buy cute picture sleeves at the dollar store. We have carolers that stroll around singing Christmas songs. Everyone enjoys a buffet style breakfast. We send each child home with some snowman soup, (mug with hot chocolate, marshmallows and a candy cane in it). It is a highlight event for many.
Shelly Barley, Activity Director
Inn on Westport-Holiday Brainstorm!
1. Cookie Exchange - Our recipe club makes holiday treats in Nov & Dec, & then before christmas we plate a few on a small holiday plates and give them to all the residents to take back to their room ( to eat themselves or offer to guests who visit).
Prep - get recipes from residents of favorite holiday treats - freezer space to put them untill the exchange
2. Holiday Open House (Old Fashioned Christmas Theme) - we have various stations through out the building that residents and their families can go through:
1. Candy Shop - were residents & their families decorate sugar cookies together.
2. Photo with Santa - Take Digital photos-that can be printed right away. -
3. Making a photo christmas card (that they can put their picture with Santa in)
4. Music ( various peformers, carolers, ballet dancers, etc) play through out the afternoon as entertainment.
-takes alot of work, each department needs to be in charge of different area. Staff needs to help people go from one station to the next.
Cherilyn Dystrka, Activity Director
Prep - get recipes from residents of favorite holiday treats - freezer space to put them untill the exchange
2. Holiday Open House (Old Fashioned Christmas Theme) - we have various stations through out the building that residents and their families can go through:
1. Candy Shop - were residents & their families decorate sugar cookies together.
2. Photo with Santa - Take Digital photos-that can be printed right away. -
3. Making a photo christmas card (that they can put their picture with Santa in)
4. Music ( various peformers, carolers, ballet dancers, etc) play through out the afternoon as entertainment.
-takes alot of work, each department needs to be in charge of different area. Staff needs to help people go from one station to the next.
Cherilyn Dystrka, Activity Director
Terracina Grand-Holiday Brainstorm!
1. ‘Beating the Holiday Blues’-for some, this had a big impact-as some really struggle with the Holidays. We sat in a round circle and discussed ideas on how to recognize depression, and the best way to positively impact others to make our lives more meaningful during the holidays.
2. Gift Wrapping 101-this was fun—I made it an afternoon social and had people bring things they have trouble wrapping due to arthritis and such, and had one of our employees give a wrapping demo. We served cookies and punch, listened to Christmas music in the background, and reminisced.
3. Twinkle Tours-Always a favorite for everyone! We do several runs to accommodate everyone on the bus. We even stop by our weekend bus drivers’ house and he dresses up with his granddaughter and hands out little candy canes to everyone on the bus!
These are our most successful programs….we also fill the calendar up with community groups that come in to perform—and that is always a hit, and of course our resident Christmas party. For our Jewish Folks, we have a small celebration each day at 4pm to celebrate Chanukah in the Lobby area by lighting the Menorah.
Sandy Steinbach, Activity Director
2. Gift Wrapping 101-this was fun—I made it an afternoon social and had people bring things they have trouble wrapping due to arthritis and such, and had one of our employees give a wrapping demo. We served cookies and punch, listened to Christmas music in the background, and reminisced.
3. Twinkle Tours-Always a favorite for everyone! We do several runs to accommodate everyone on the bus. We even stop by our weekend bus drivers’ house and he dresses up with his granddaughter and hands out little candy canes to everyone on the bus!
These are our most successful programs….we also fill the calendar up with community groups that come in to perform—and that is always a hit, and of course our resident Christmas party. For our Jewish Folks, we have a small celebration each day at 4pm to celebrate Chanukah in the Lobby area by lighting the Menorah.
Sandy Steinbach, Activity Director
Valley View Estates-Holiday Brainstorm!
We have two great Christmas celebrations. One is for our residents living on South/west. This celebration happens on the 3rd Wed of December and begins at 7:30PM. The resident family members are invited to attend via the newsletter and to bring a present for Santa to deliver during the party. We have a live band that plays Christmas carols and any requests that our residents may have. We have a dance every month on the 3rd Wednesday, but of course the Christmas one has a lot more Oomph and Pizzazz!
Every resident receives a present from Santa (My assistant, Lorna’s husband is great). If the resident has no family to provide for them, we make sure they have a present. We make a lot of joyful noise during this party; the band encourages us to sing a long!
We serve fancy decorated cup cakes, candy, and we have a punch fountain that is beautiful with lights shining through our red Christmas punch. We hold this party in our main dining room; we just push the tables back to the wall to allow room for dancing; this also gives residents and their guests a place to eat their treats. We find having our South/West party on this particular evening gives family members the opportunity to spend some Christmas time with their loved one in case they may be out of town for the actual Holiday.
Our other Christmas part occurs on the 3rd Friday of the Month ion our Sunshine North Memory Care Unit. Again, all family members are invited and asked to bring a wrapped present for Santa to deliver. The reason that we do not have combined Christmas parties is that it has been our experience that most of our Sunshine North residents become agitated and overloaded with the noise etc. and they definitely do not enjoy themselves. The party On sunshine North consists of singing Christmas carols, decorated cupcakes, the punch fountain, and of course a visit from Santa Claus (one of our Sunshine North CNAs is a great Santa for this party he is well versed in Alzheimer dementia care and is a great, gentle Santa) This party occurs during the early afternoon. An evening party on Sunshine North is not usually a good idea as it may cause some resident overload adding to the sundowning issues already occurring. We have several Sunshine North residents that do very well during our monthly dance (off unit), but do not do well with the Holiday bells and whistles thrown in.
We also have a children’s Christmas party that our residents really enjoy. This party if for all of the staff’s children and resident’s grand children and greatgrandchildren. You can’t beat the combination of the very young and the very old. It is always a great combination. I guess I have taken enough of your time. If you need anything else, be sure and let me know…we’re always glad to help.
Linda Lachman, Activity Director
Every resident receives a present from Santa (My assistant, Lorna’s husband is great). If the resident has no family to provide for them, we make sure they have a present. We make a lot of joyful noise during this party; the band encourages us to sing a long!
We serve fancy decorated cup cakes, candy, and we have a punch fountain that is beautiful with lights shining through our red Christmas punch. We hold this party in our main dining room; we just push the tables back to the wall to allow room for dancing; this also gives residents and their guests a place to eat their treats. We find having our South/West party on this particular evening gives family members the opportunity to spend some Christmas time with their loved one in case they may be out of town for the actual Holiday.
Our other Christmas part occurs on the 3rd Friday of the Month ion our Sunshine North Memory Care Unit. Again, all family members are invited and asked to bring a wrapped present for Santa to deliver. The reason that we do not have combined Christmas parties is that it has been our experience that most of our Sunshine North residents become agitated and overloaded with the noise etc. and they definitely do not enjoy themselves. The party On sunshine North consists of singing Christmas carols, decorated cupcakes, the punch fountain, and of course a visit from Santa Claus (one of our Sunshine North CNAs is a great Santa for this party he is well versed in Alzheimer dementia care and is a great, gentle Santa) This party occurs during the early afternoon. An evening party on Sunshine North is not usually a good idea as it may cause some resident overload adding to the sundowning issues already occurring. We have several Sunshine North residents that do very well during our monthly dance (off unit), but do not do well with the Holiday bells and whistles thrown in.
We also have a children’s Christmas party that our residents really enjoy. This party if for all of the staff’s children and resident’s grand children and greatgrandchildren. You can’t beat the combination of the very young and the very old. It is always a great combination. I guess I have taken enough of your time. If you need anything else, be sure and let me know…we’re always glad to help.
Linda Lachman, Activity Director
Westpark Village Holds Jewelry Sale!
Westpark Village hosted an Old Costume Jewelry Sale on Saturday, September 15. The residents and community came together to donate old jewelry to be sold for $5.00 or less.
Over 2700 pieces of jewelry were donated overall with 31 Westpark Village residents giving around 680 pieces. $1700 was raised to go to the American Heart Association.
To view pictures of the sale go to:
http://www.westparksenior.com/actprogmenu.html.
Over 2700 pieces of jewelry were donated overall with 31 Westpark Village residents giving around 680 pieces. $1700 was raised to go to the American Heart Association.
To view pictures of the sale go to:
http://www.westparksenior.com/actprogmenu.html.
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