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Activity directors and activities staff have a demanding job. They need to find new and creative activities for their participants each day, which often means planning activity calendars weeks in advance to ensure residents and members of senior communities are safe and entertained.
Good news: There’s a huge array of resources for activity directors available online.
Bad news: There’s such an array of resources for activity directors available online that it can be difficult to know where to start!
Well if you're an activity director, this blog post is for you. We'll help you find new ideas and stay on top of trends in the industry, and learn how to create engaging senior center activities that will make participants want to return.
Engaging activities and events are central to residents’ and members’ physical, mental, and social health. Arranged activities can help participants promote a sense of independence. They can also help participants reconnect with passions and hobbies they had earlier in life. All activity directors should know how important their job is to residents.
Well-organized activities can help maintain and encourage a resident’s self-confidence, dignity, and self-esteem. Aging can distress many people, particularly those that are losing their independence. Mental and physical well-being is essential for living a dignified and happy life. Engaging activities for residents can allow them to feel happier in themselves and healthier in their bodies.
Meaningful activities include those centered around physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, or creative stimulation. These are all areas that are key to nurturing well-being. Knowing how to engage residents in activities often means finding activities that interest them and that they can take part in.
For residents, feeling a sense of control, purpose, and meaning in life is paramount to well-being. Resources for activity directors can be great for inspiration and for identifying the perfect activities for specific residents: to meet their needs and improve their life.
These resources are ideal for activity directors, regardless of the stage you are at in your career. Of course, you should always strive to find new resources to increase your knowledge of the field and keep up to date.
Are we missing some on this list? Send us your favorite resource to include here!
This book is an excellent resource. The author, Marge Knoth, is an experienced activity director that understands the challenges faced in the profession. The book can help you thrive and manage different areas of the job.
These include stress, budget management, and providing an incredible service to your residents while also taking time to focus on your well-being. It is currently available on Amazon for around $83.00.
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Our event management platform is the perfect resource for activity directors. We help bring people together through virtual and hybrid activities that focus on overcoming isolation and promoting interaction between older people. We can digitize the classes you offer, or supplement your activities calendar with all our weekly events.
You can see whether our platform is right for your community by scheduling a free demo right now.
In addition to our live streamed classes, we also have lots of free resources:
This book provides activity directors with a greater understanding of Alzheimer's. It discusses the non-declining abilities of Alzheimer's patients and suggests activities that increase their well-being and quality of life.
It seeks to challenge the idea of helplessness often associated with the disease. It’s an important resource for anyone working with those with Alzheimer's, especially those organizing activities for them. It's currently available for around $11.00.
This low-priced resource is very valuable for any activity director seeking inspiration. They offer a free subscription which allows access to limited content or a premium option for $19.00 per month.
Not Just Bingo provides observance calendars, email advice, how-to-articles, and more! The premium subscription also includes access to their premium activity calendars, which provide more detailed planning options and engaging activities.
They also have a nice guide that provides a list of online sources here.
Social media platforms aren't’ just for fun! There are lots of great accounts created specifically for activity directors to provide inspiration, resources, and advice. Some great accounts on Instagram we’d suggest checking out include:
Plus, though the Instagram algorithm might be creepy, suddenly your “Discover” feed will be full of great ideas you can draw from for your activity.
And though we’re sure you know this, you should also definitely head to Pinterest! There are almost endless possibilities on Pinterest.
You may have already come across Activity Connection, but if you haven't, check them out. It's an online database packed with resources that can inspire activity directors to organize the best activities to engage residents.
It includes downloadable resources, planning tools, and activity guides. It's also an ideal place to collaborate with others in the field and share ideas. It costs just under $175.00 per year, which is a good value when you consider the vast resources available.
For building a successful activity and recreation program, there are many resources available, but it’s not always easy. If you're looking for guidance in this area, we’re here to help!
Our team is ready and waiting to make your events successful by providing our knowledgeable staff to create an exciting calendar of activities perfect for your residents. Book your free demo today and we'll show you how Televeda can not only provide support for your current activities, but also help get your ideas off the ground.
Join right now to set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most viewers of a bingo livestream on a bespoke platform.
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