Highlights January & February 2017 Recreation Therapy Department. The sun has come out and the air is vivid with spring light. Byron Caldwell Smith

Transcription

1 Highlights January & February 2017 Recreation Therapy Department The sun has come out and the air is vivid with spring light. Byron Caldwell Smith Spring is just around the corner and with the coming of spring comes a sense of life renewed. Please take time to read our monthly House calendars, monitors, Facebook page and highlights to find out about the exciting programs that will be taking place around this wonderful season. Our Loch Lomond Villa community would like to welcome all our new residents & families. We believe in the inclusion of entire households, including family in the engagement of our residents, so your voice is important to us. Please feel free to contact Mary Lynn Steele- Recreation Therapy Manager with any ideas and suggestions. The Recreation team is pleased to announce our two new Activity Coordinators Alison Newton who works on Dogwood, Willow & Maple Houses and Jillian Higgins who works on Cedar House. The girls joined our team in January and come with a wealth of experience and education and have embraced their new roles. Sarah Draper has taken on a new position as Activity Coordinator on Birch & Elm Houses and Irene Hosford will now work as an Activity Coordinator for tenants living in our apartment buildings. Our Spiritual Care Coordinator- Martha McGrath has been with our team for just over a year. Martha has been coordinating some wonderful spiritual care programs including weekly church services, Memorial Celebration Services, Community Christmas Candlelight services, Remembrance Day Service, and spiritual care visits on all of our Houses. Martha can be reached at from 9am-3pm or at ext after 3pm. She would be happy to chat with you.

2 Thanks to the Loch Lomond Villa Foundation for once again recognizing the importance of Music Therapy and providing resources so that we continue to have our Certified Music Therapist. Sarah Bell provides monthly Music Therapy Programs and individualized IPOD therapy on each of our houses. Sarah is doing an amazing job reconnecting our residents with their identities through music. MUSIC THERAPY Music Therapy group and individual sessions happen once a month and contribute to the therapeutic needs of the resident. Individual goals differ per resident and focus on the spiritual, emotional, motor and social domains. In January and February as part of our music therapy group sessions, residents have had the chance to play drums in a group setting. Drumming contributes greatly to health and wellbeing and can be a fun way to promote movement for seniors. A special thank you to our own, Cynthia Bonner- Director of Care, as she is allowing her drums to be used for music therapy sessions. In addition to the live music making and reminiscing in music therapy groups led by Sarah Bell, Music Therapist Accredited, ipods have been used on the houses within the Villa and Village. The use of personalized music is being used to help decrease agitation and wandering behaviors especially during sun downing times. Listening to one s preferred music also provides an opportunity for emotional and social expression for the residents. Reminiscence comes very easily when listening to music, as shown by Elm resident Phyllis Gautreau who listens to Hank Snow on her ipod, "This (music) reminds me of my husband, he used to sing and play guitar. ipods are available for family use with residents on the following houses, Elm, Cedar and Maple. Keep an eye out for future houses where ipod therapy is coming to. Thank you for your continued support. Should you have any questions/comments please feel free to contact Sarah Bell, MA, MTA directly through at sarahbell921@yahoo.ca Sarah Bell, BMusEd, MTA, MMT Accredited Music Therapist Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. John Denver VALENTINE S CELEBRATION We celebrated Valentine s Day with Sweetheart Luncheons both at the Villa & Village. The residents enjoyed a spaghetti & meatball entrée with garlic bread and assorted cheesecakes and cupcakes.

3 CUDDLE THERAPY Cuddle Therapy, was introduced in our trial period this November. Since our initial introduction to the program, it has become a quick favorite among the residents! This program was initiated to calm residents who display adverse behaviors, and to addresses the needs of those who are experiencing boredom and loneliness. Experiences of bringing the babies on the houses have been wonderful to witness. Our residents have grown to miss the babies when they re not around, and ask how they re doing when it s been a couple of days since a visit. Many have taken to calling themselves Grammies & Grampies when holding the babies, and hum a lullaby. The cuddle babies allow our residents to become caregivers again and the joy on their faces when they gently cradle or rock the babies is amazing to see. Our residents are not the only ones that have been supportive of the therapy; it is loved by their family member as well. They have shared their own stories of how much their loved-one enjoyed caring for children. Now with the arrival of our own cuddle babies we can look forward to watching the program further grow and make an impact on Loch Lomond Villa. THE LOCH LOMOND VILLAGE LIFE WRITER S The Life Writing Club is a new program facilitated by Dogwood house resident Krista Fudge. This group meets once a week to share the stories of their lives with one another. Sharing stories allows us to see the narrative of our lives and how individual it is. Each week this group picks a theme and writes a story about how it links with their life. This writing group builds friendships, and changes the participant s perspective on one another.

4 COMMUNITY CULTURE JASMINE PERFORMING ARTS GROUP The Jasmine Performing Arts Group is a volunteer based and non-profit organization, dedicated to serve the community and to help Canadian audiences increase their understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, thereby promoting multiculturalism. The group performed a variety of classical, contemporary and many ethnic Chinese arts. This year on March 22 at 7pm the Village hosted this event and invited their Villa friends to attend. WINTER WONDERLAND The residents have been enjoying many of our winter themed programs including Snow Ball fights, massage, pet visitations, Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and various entertainments.

5 PET THERAPY Pet Visitation and companion pets are valued companions that can have a positive impact on quality of life. Human companion interaction such as pet therapy, pet visits and adoption have great therapeutic benefits contributing to overall wellbeing through comfort, friendship, affection, stimulation and a sense of responsibility. Pet Visitation and companion pets must be in accordance with Infection Control & Health & Safety policies and Nursing Home Services Companion Animal Standards. Please remember to fill out the Visiting Pet Information Form before initial visit so we can ensure all pets visiting have their updated vaccinations and flea treatments. Special thank you to our resident Doreen Campbell for filling the air with fresh baking each day! Guessing all samplers are up a few pounds.