The Great Depression and The Great Recession

I suppose things could be worse.

It always amazes me to hear the life stories of people who lived during the Great Depression. The Greatest Generation grew up in those tough times. In Texas, they tell me about crawling through fields picking cotton as babes. In Minnesota, it is a similar story but they are picking potatoes. If they could earn just a few more pennies for their family's needs, they certainly did it. Once in a great while, they got to buy a piece of candy with those extra pennies.

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Reinventing activity programs in long term care

How do we keep "activities" REAL? What are some next generation activities that aren't the "same old, same old"? How do we excel at life enrichment? Is it possible to help people achieve happiness and wellness--even when the physical body doesn't want to cooperate anymore? Here are four things I suggest activity directors, life enrichment directors, or therapeutic recreation directors focus on. What are your thoughts?

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Brain fitness and wellness--Use it or LOSE it

Neurons must be challenged to survive and thrive. See a video of Dr. Gobble of Masterpiece Living sharing powerful information on brain fitness produced on ICAA's new TV channel. Is brain fitness really impacting people's lives in a profound way? The answer is YES. The social connection matters. Using the computer for brain fitness is great, but interactions with people lead to successful aging too. 

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3 tips for great activity programs for seniors, activity director ideas, senior activities for activity directors

As times change and people's interests change, it is important to be flexible and creative with activities in senior living communities or in senior centers. Here are a few ways to get "outside the box" with your approach.

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