-Group Activities
-One-to-one support
-Enabling
-Creating Opportunities.
The need for activity and meaningful engagement has long been recognised however evidence suggests most residential & nursing homes are not managing to fully demonstrate meaningful engagement.
Activity is EVERYONE’s BUSINESS, not just the role and responsibility of activity champions/co-ordinators. It is important for care home managers to identify the difference between care staff and activity co-ordinators, and one of the key differences is around how things are planned, reviewed and documented. Each provider may do things differently, so we recommend highlighting the differences:
Activities
Activities of daily living are the actions people perform on daily basis. They differ from occupations because activities do not usually hold a great deal of personal meaning for clients. For example, a person may put on their socks every day, but this activity may not hold a great deal of personal meaning, or be central to their identity, but is fundamental for maintaining personal health and independence.
B – Bathing and Showering
A – Apparel (Dressing)
S – Sustenance (Eating)
I – In Motion (Transferring)
C – Continence/Sanitation (Toileting)
Meaningful Engagement
In order to make engagement and participation work and beneficial for the person we need to make sure engagement is meaningful.
This includes getting a sense of their spirituality, which is not an aspect we always consider in the care industry but makes up who the person is.
- Listen to Their Beliefs and Values: Engage in open conversations about their beliefs, values, and what they find meaningful in life. This can provide insights into their spiritual outlook.
- Observe Their Practices: Notice if they engage in activities like meditation, prayer, yoga, or spending time in nature. These practices often reflect a person’s spiritual inclinations.
- Ask About Their Experiences: Inquire about any significant experiences they’ve had that shaped their spiritual journey. This could include moments of deep connection, personal transformation, or encounters with the divine.
- Respect Their Privacy: Spirituality is deeply personal, so it’s important to approach the topic with sensitivity and respect their boundaries. What kind of things are important
- Look for Signs of Inner Peace and Compassion: Spiritual individuals often exhibit qualities like inner peace, compassion, and a sense of connectedness with others and the world around them.
It is extremely important to remain open-minded and non-judgemental about a person’s beliefs, even if they do not meet with your beliefs. It is worth noting that it is illegal to discriminate against a person on grounds of religious or philosophical beliefs
“(1) Religion means any religion and a reference to religion includes a reference to a lack of religion.
(2) Belief means any religious or philosophical belief and a reference to belief includes a reference to a lack of belief.
Key Differences
Focus: Activity co-ordinators are dedicated to enhancing people’s quality of life through activities. They review the process and ascertain how well residents are engaging with the activity plan/timetable they are on. Care staff focus on providing essential daily care and support, which, although this includes engaging people and getting them to participate in activities, this is not their primary role.
Responsibilities: Activity co-ordinators plan and manage activities, which includes recording and ensuring information is easily accessible for other members of staff. They may also be aware of resources and opportunities available and may co-ordinate other requests to discuss with management and progress these for individuals. Care staff assist with personal care and may help with activities as part of their broader role, using information from the activity co-ordinator whilst also providing information and suggestions to the activity co-ordinator. They also monitor how well residents engage.
Skills: Activity co-ordinators need strong organisational and motivational skills, and should be constantly upskilled and trained to maintain this role. Care staff require skills related to personal care and health monitoring, as well as to the importance of enabling and empowering people.
Below is a breakdown of how we can support a person by evaluating how they have lived, and continue to live their lives on a day-to-day basis. This can then be used this to continue encouraging and enabling them to participate in activities ensuring people remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.
Occupation
Occupation refers to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities, to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life. Occupations include things people need to, want to, and are expected to do.
Occupations help to shape people’s identities and influence their overall health and wellbeing.
Please see below a list of what we consider occupations to be.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): Basic self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, and grooming.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs): More complex activities related to independent living, like managing finances, cooking, shopping, and using transportation.
I – Income Management – managing finances
N – Navigate Transportation – getting around independently, this includes navigating oneself around the home environment
S- Shopping and Meal Preparation – managing shopping and meals
T – Tidying up – domestic activities, cleaning up after oneself
R – Remaining Connected – being able to keep in touch with people
U – Understanding Medications – maintaining health, such as medication management,
M – Managing Health – activities related to keeping healthy, such as exercise and attending medical appointments. Activities that support healthy sleep patterns and rest.
E – Engaging in hobbies or play – activities that are fun and enjoyable, often associated with children, but important for all ages.
N – Nurturing Relationships – activities that involve interacting with others, including family, friends, and community involvement
T – Time management – setting out the day in a timely manner
A – Assisting others
L – Learning new skills – non-obligatory activities that are done for enjoyment, such as taking on new hobbies, reading, and sports. These may also include activities related to learning, such as attending school, studying, and participating in educational programs.
GBTQIA+ Identity
This is an area which may cause people to withdraw from engagement/activities because they may be afraid of not being accepted. Their dementia may even mean that they gradually become unaware of the increasing acceptance around LGBTQIA+ issues, causing them for example, to reject their long-term partner (with who they may have been openly with for years) for fear that someone may find out about their true identity.
It is therefore extremely important to remain open-minded and non-judgemental about a person’s beliefs, even if they do not meet with your beliefs. It is also important to ensure that activities do not inadvertently exclude people, and that people are supported to feel as comfortable as possible and to express themselves in ways that are meaningful to them.
It is worth noting that it is illegal to discriminate against a person on grounds of gender reassignment or sexual orientation Equality Act 2010.