Aged care trainer’s favourite activities

Aged care trainer’s favourite activities

At Selmar Aged Care Education Institute, all of our trainers are experienced aged care workers. We chatted to two of our trainers about their favourite activities in aged care facilities from their experience working.

Sally

I was a night shift worker and for those night owl residents we regularly hosted “ice-cream and old movie” nights. We’d get all the residents out into the lounge room in their pyjamas and set the chairs up cinema-style. We’d then raid the kitchen for a big bowl of ice cream each and all watch old black and white movies. The residents would reminisce about the films, their lives when they first saw the films and chat for hours. It was such a great way to get everyone chatting and laughing!

Sherene

I was the Lifestyle Coordinator at my old facility, and my favourite activity was “arm chair travel”. We’d choose a country and set up a whole event around it. We’d set up chairs and room like an aeroplane and give residents boarding passes when they came into the room. We’d provide “on board” nibbles show short films as the in-flight entertainment. We’d also show a PowerPoint presentation about the destination country and what to expect when holidaying in this location. This was a great reminiscence for those residents who had flown and travelled in their lives. It was also geographically stimulating, and had tastes and smell stimulation through foods. It also stimulated social interaction, as well as an opportunity for staff from the destination country to dress traditionally and share their culture.

Feel free to use these activities as inspiration for your facility — who knows, these could become your favourite activities in aged care facilities too!