To ask questions of anyone that works in a care home as the activities organiser?

[girlfriend44]

What is the truth about budgets to pay people to come in and entertain the residents?
Do they really have a small budget?
What's the best way to get into one to entertain?
Are they inundated with people wanting to come in?
Any tips Thanks?

Care homes tend to be private businesses.
They are all run differently, and all charge different amounts. It is going to be very specific to the individual home.

What's the best way to get into one to entertain?

Are you the entertainer, looking for work ?

1. Yes, very small budgets
2. Ring them up, tell them what you are offering and your fee and ask them to put you on their list
3. No, they struggle to get people ( see 1) above)

There is more than likely a comfort fund which residents/families/staff raise/contribute money towards that allows for things/events/entertainers to come in for the enjoyment of the residents.

Care homes are privately funded but they will be stretched so unlikely most will have a massive budget for things like that unless the care home is really exclusive 💷💷💷

Sometimes residents who pass away might also leave donations which might be added to the comfort fund.

As to whether the care homes are inundated with offers... Unlikely. But people that do come in are usually local to the area and/or know staff or residents in the care home and are specifically asked to come in. Sometimes at a cost, sometimes just for free.

Why do you ask?

Activities organisation within most care homes is a farce and only done to con the CQC into believing that the residents have things to do. In reality they're stuck in front of the television for most of the day with organised activities only occuring mon-fri for about an hour a day. The activities coordinators will do things for Halloween, Christmas, Easter etc., but usually on a patronising junior school level producing childish rubbish which is then hung from the ceiling.

Occasionally singers, pet visits and magicians are invited along. Some places have carols at Christmas.

The activities budgets are invariably tiny and inadequate.

The budget will be small. There isn’t a full programme of activities every day for every resident. There is an activity some days for some of the residents.

Yes.