Resident Favorites: August 2023

1. Fastener Cards: I’ve shared these on Instagram before, with a breakdown of how I’ve used them. This month, several of my Residents have shown an interest in these after seeing me carry them around on the unit. So I’ve integrated them into session with great success. They’ve been a hit not just on the Memory Unit, but also with some of my ALF-level Residents who have expressed a desire to improve in fine-motor skills.

2. Pony Bead Kit: we’ve used this so many different ways! It’s great for sustained attention to task for a sensory break: I’ll say “hey, someone mixed all these beads up and I really need help sorting them by color”. Works like a charm. I put them into a cup and asked a Resident to remove only the {insert color name here} ones using a tip-to-tip prehension pattern to improve fine motor skills. And of course, the age-old strategy of hiding them in putty to work on strengthening.

3. Spot It: a classic card game. This has been great to use with a Residents I’m just getting to know as a PRN therapist. Particularly in scenarios where I need to see how long and well a Resident can follow directions and engage in a task. I think the way the illustrations are drawn has an appeal that just really works for a lot of Residents. And because the cards are round instead of rectangular, there’s this instant curiosity when I present them in a session.

4. Calm & Easy Adult Coloring Books: one of my Resident’s was sharing with me last week that she won a really fun-looking coloring book during Bingo. And when she actually took the time to flip through it, it was way to intricate. So she traded for something more like this one.

5. Resistive Clothes Pins: it’s been the month for fine motor work over here. I’m not sure why that always happens, it’s like everyone needs ADL training, then suddenly everyone needs balance work, then suddenly everyone’s dropping things and needs fine motor development and strengthening. I’m not complaining, I love working on fine motor skills.

6. Bean Bags for Balance Work: you remember that Reel I shared a while back demonstrating my favorite ways to improve lower body dressing skills? Well these bean bags are it for using that exact strategy. Plus I love that the color names are embroidered on the outside to add a cognitive component to any bean bag toss game.