RESIDENT ACTIVITIES

POLICY STATEMENT.

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) requires each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) to arrange for a diversity of programs to maintain residents’ sense of usefulness and self-respect, encouraging residents to become active in an environment that stimulates involvement, self esteem, productivity, and freedom for independent choices. This will be accomplished via social opportunities, physical activities, creative, educational and cultural programs, spiritual opportunities, as well as cognitive and sensory awareness programs, and community integration programs.

PURPOSE.

This policy and procedure shall serve to ensure that veterans home residents are offered a diverse schedule of activities to include social opportunities, physical activities, creative, educational and cultural programs, spiritual opportunities, as well as cognitive and sensory awareness programs, and community integration programs, to maintain a resident’s sense of usefulness and self-respect, and enhance the veterans home resident’s quality of life.  

DEFINITIONS.

ACTIVITIES refer to any endeavor, other than routine ADLs, in which a resident participates that is intended to enhance her/his sense of well-being and to promote or enhance physical, cognitive, and emotional health. These include, but are not limited to, activities that promote self-esteem, pleasure, comfort, education, creativity, success, and independence.

ONE-to-ONE PROGRAMMING refers to programming provided to residents who will not, or cannot, effectively plan their own activity pursuits, or residents needing specialized or extended programs to enhance their overall daily routine and activity pursuit needs.

PERSON APPROPRIATE refers to the idea that each resident has a personal identity and history that involves more than just their medical illnesses or functional impairments. Activities should be relevant to the specific needs, interests, culture, background, etc., of the individual for whom they are developed.

PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES includes a combination of large and small group, one-to-one, and self-directed activities; and a system that supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of the activities provided to the residents in the VMH.

CREATIVE PROGRAMS include crafts, pottery, poetry, drama, music therapy, art therapy, and gardening.

EDUCATIONAL and CULTURAL PROGRAMS include discussion groups, guest speaker programs, concerts and other forms of live entertainment, and international meals.

SOCIAL PROGRAMS include parties, club or organizational meetings, picnics, special events, and so on.

PHYSICAL PROGRAMS include exercise, sports, dancing, swimming, and so on.

SPIRITUAL PROGRAMS include religious services of all denominations.

AWARENESS PROGRAMS include cognitive and sensory individual and group stimulation for confused and disoriented residents.

COMMUNITY INTEGRATION PROGRAMS include visits by community volunteers and Veterans groups, visits by nursery or grade school classes, exchange visits with other health care facilities, participation in senior citizen organization meetings, wellness groups or support group sessions, and participation in adopt-a-grandparent programs.

PROCEDURE.

1. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

2. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes will ensure residing residents are afforded Activities, Recreational and Volunteer programs in accordance with regulatory requirements and in a manner that will allow for independent choices.

3. Activities Department

      3a. The Activities Department will be responsible to assist and encourage residents to become socially active in an environment that stimulates involvement, self-esteem, productivity, and freedom for independent choices, involving a diverse schedule of activities and programs that shall be available seven days per week, and during at least two evenings per week.
      3b. Residents may participate in the activities program regardless of their financial status, with the exception of special events for which there is a charge.

 

      3c. A current listing of all scheduled activities shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the VMH.
      3d. Resident activity programs shall be developed and modified on the basis of input from residents, staff, family members, and others.

 

      3e. Each VMH shall have an activities room that is equipped with arts and crafts supplies, games, and reading materials.
      3f. Resident activity programs shall take place in individual, small group, and large group settings.

4. Care Planning

      4a. Care planning involves identification of the resident’s interests, preferences, and abilities, as well as any issues, concerns, problems, or needs affecting the resident’s involvement/ engagement in activities.

 

      4b. Activity goals related to the comprehensive care plan should be based on measurable objectives and focused on desired outcomes (e.g. engagement in an activity that matches the resident’s ability, maintaining attention to the activity for a specified period of time, expressing satisfaction with the activity verbally or non-verbally), not merely on attendance at a certain number of activities per week.
      4c. For residents with no discernable response, service provision is still expected and may include one-to-one activities such as talking to the resident, reading to the resident about prior interests, or applying lotion while stroking the resident’s hands or feet.

 

      4d. Activities can occur at any time, are not limited to formal activities being provided only by activities staff, and can include activities provided by other facility staff, volunteers, visitors, residents, and family members.
      4e. All relevant departments should collaborate to develop and implement an individualized activities care plan and program for each resident.

 

      4f. The care plan should include the concepts of a continuation of life roles, consistent with resident preferences and functional capacity, such as cooking, table setting, repairing small items, etc.
      4g. The care plan should also encourage and support the development of new interests, hobbies and skills, such as training on using the Internet.

 

      4h. The care plan should also address the needs and approaches to activity participation for residents with:
      1. Visual impairments;
      2. Hearing impairments;
      3. Physical limitations/impairments;
      4. Cognitive impairments;
      5. A language barrier;
      6. A terminal illness;
      7. Pain;
      8. Confusion;
      9. Disruptive behaviors.

 

      4i The care plan should address new residents who have recently moved in, and should include welcoming activities and/or orientation activities.
      4j. For the resident who prefers to stay in his/her room, or is unable to leave his/her room, activities and visits by staff, other residents, volunteers, and spiritual counselors should be offered.

 

      4k. The care plan should be revised whenever the resident’s condition or needs change, but no less frequently than quarterly during the quarterly MDS Assessment process.
    5. Accommodation

 

      5a. The VMH may need to consider accommodations in schedules, supplies and timing in order to optimize a resident’s ability to participate in an activity of choice. Examples of accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
      1. Altering a therapy or bath/shower schedule to make it possible for a resident to attend a desired activity;
      2. Assisting residents, as needed, to get to and to participate in activities;
      3. Providing supplies for activities and assistance, when needed, for residents;
      4. Providing a late breakfast to allow a resident to continue a lifelong pattern of attending religious services before eating.

 

Revised: June 2007

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