In all the time I’ve been advocating for increased community engagement and instituting a robust volunteer workforce managed by trained managers of volunteers, rarely have I ever received push back from care staff or direct-care workers. However, when talking with leadership, it’s a bit of a different story. And this is not about disparaging leadership. […]
The pressure to hold groups is unfounded. Check out some of the reasons why in the last article The Pressure to Hold Groups; Is it valid? (7/20/21). Notice the federal regulation does not state any requirement regarding groups per se, they are mentioned as options to offer but notice the requirement focuses on each resident […]
For two weeks at the end of June, the members of the National Association of Activity Professionals were treated to two weeks of free programming by Sage Stream, an innovative and new senior entertainment and education network. In October of last year, we created Sage Stream with the help of students from Northeastern University. The […]
The National Association of Activity Professionals recently signed on with the LEAD Coalition and many other organizations to sponsor Concentrating on High-Value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End (CHANGE) Act (H.R.3354). The CHANGE Act will strengthen dementia detect and diagnosis, in turn catalyzing improved care, helping promote health equity, and accelerating science to prevent, […]
The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) has supported working and retired members of the entertainment industry with a critical safety net of health and social services for 100 years, including a residential senior living community with nearly 250 residents. MPTF offers a wide range of housing accommodations from independent and assisted living through skilled […]
Where does the pressure to hold groups come from? Challenge yourself to actually answer. Is it from your corporation, your administrator, yourself, residents, family members, other professionals, regulations, or our own profession? Whew. Right there, that’s a lot of potential pressure. I want to encourage you to study and think about this with me and […]
Part 1 of Discovering DRTA: Recreational Therapy in Australia provided a brief history of Recreational & Diversional Therapy in Australia along with the DRTA’s philosophy and its organizational timeline. There are similarities and overlap between Diversional and Recreation Therapists in Australia with Recreational Therapists and Activity Professionals in the US. They work in many of […]
Launching or relaunching a volunteer program is no small feat! It takes some real elbow grease to make it happen, preceded by some gentle but effective head-scratching! However, with planning and garnering feedback from your co-workers and management, it can be a very positive experience, leading to a beautiful celebratory occasion on the ribbon-cutting day! […]
A few weeks ago I was fortunate to be able to attend a live webinar given by Jill Vitale-Aussem, President/CEO of Christian Living Communities and former President/CEO of the Eden Alternative. Jill spoke with authenticity and passion about transitioning our elder-care communities from being customer-service driven to citizen-driven, and I was inspired to learn more […]
As NAAP’s International Development Director, I have the opportunity to participate in monthly “Global Leaders” meetings with Presidents of the National Activity Providers Association (UK), Diversional Therapy Association Japan, Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association, American Therapeutic Recreation Association, New Zealand Society of Diversional and Recreational Therapy (NZSDRT), and Diversional and Recreation Therapy Australia. Each month, a […]
