You're in charge of arranging activities for residents in a care home. What are you going to plan? Unusual ideas welcomed

[AlpacaAPicnic]

This is a private retirement village with a very healthy budget for activities. They do all the usual things you might imagine - flower arranging, crafting, baking, rambling for those who are able, various talks arranged and various evening dos

But what can I suggest that's outside the box? They're very good at having some excellent ideas and have recently had therapy penguins (yes really), Caribbean evenings, barbershop quartets etc

It's my new role and I wondered if you could suggest something that might work. Of course I've got my own ideas but wondered if there was anything you'd like an older relative to experience

A mix of independent folk, those with dementia and those with care needs. We can do individual activities and tailor them to all residents

My ideas - seem a bit boring!

Wreath making towards Christmas (they'll probably have done this already!)

Therapy dogs - discovered they do this too!

Alpacas coming in - same again. Being done!

Our local historian coming to give a chat

Gospel choir

Contact your local brass band and ask if they would provide a small group (say 8 players) for a Christmas Carol concert. Pay some money to the band funds for their trouble and hand out carol sheets to the residents for singing along (you might need a compere)

One of the care homes I visit for work does yoga for residents! Lots of ways to include everybody as very easy to adapt poses to suit each participant’s mobility level.

What a lovely new job to have, you are very lucky! 🙂

Wine tasting
morris dancing display with options for joining in
Tai Chi
Aromatherapy
Reading by local poet

Christmas cracker making workshop

Some great ideas thank you! I'll jot them all down.

The issue I have is just how brilliant the stuff is they already do! I nearly fell off my chair at the therapy penguins! And yes, you can hold them!!

And the Caribbean evening complete with a steel band!

I want therapy penguins to visit me!

@WetBandits yep yoga is on the menu there! And tai chi. They have a pool so aqua aerobics too. And a gym. And boxercise.

All going on!

@WetBandits me too. I actually googled them to see if you can book them for house visits
They're called Pringle and Widget.

It's too much

Fuck it, does this place take on residents in their 30s?! I want to live there 😂

Where my mum is does beauty afternoons with face packs, foot soaks, nail painting etc.

Any sort of live music goes down a storm, especially impersonators

You could do reminiscence sessions, have a box of old style stuff - records, dialling telephone, every day things that would have been in regular use - that might spark conversations about their lives, can especially be good for people with dementia.

Honestly - it's pretty decent! Fresh lemonade evenings. Strawberry and cream tea afternoons. Traditional barbers coming in and setting up with their proper chairs etc etc

What the hell can I add to this?!

I used to help out a singer who lead singing sessions in a very upmarket residential home near us. It was very popular! Even those with quite advanced dementia seemed to really enjoy it

Physical:

Seated yoga
Seated exercise
Movement to music
Easy dancing lessons - line dancing, Celidh etc
Tai chi
Badminton
Boccia

Musical:
Choir
Handbells

A retro party. 1950s or something with retro food and music.

@Jellycatspyjamas they have a sensory room and it's brilliant. Filled with cots, babies, sewing machines, games, toys, household bits, clothes , everything

This is why I'm struggling a little to think of something either wow factor or just nice but not been done!

Sounds really obvious but bingo and quiz nights are popular with all ages even now!

I like the wine tasting idea! Also, making scrap books( helpful for those with memory issues too), bingo, film afternoon/ evening, gardening as weather allows, dancing.

I totally want to live there!

bit of fun - astrology readings, palmistry, star gazing, foraging, writing your memoirs, fantasy football teams for euros etc, carpentry, pottery, tea workshops, balloon modelling!

Do they also have a Thursday Night 'Solve a Murder' club?

Do the residents have access to instruments? I believe it's normally one of the last skills to leave once your brain starts to decline.

My husband and I have private ballroom and Latin classes our teacher also works in care homes. He positively lights up when he tells us how residents with dementia magically manage to recall dance steps they learned many years ago. I hope I don’t ever end up in a care home but if I do I sincerely hope someone will think to bring in a dance teacher so that I can again experience the joy dancing brings.

I saw somewhere did a “festival” during Glasto weekend.

Residents were glittered/floral headbands. Staff all wearing high vis jackets and then there were some DJ decks set up in their garden.

Did have some staff dressed as security checking for alcohol as they “arrived”. Looked like good fun.

Handbells! Very good!
Scrap books - excellent idea. Because they can keep adding to it every week
Retro parties yes!

Tai chi
pottery
knitting/crochet club
wine/gin tasting
nursery visit
book/film club
poker/casino night
mani/pedi
cooking around the world
boule
crochet
afternoon tea