ACTIVITY PROFESSIONALS AWARENESS WEEK … Week... · Hardest Job Poem Pg 4 ... leisure, and play as...

Inside This Edition President’s Remarks Pg 2

What We Do Pg 3

Hardest Job Poem Pg 4

Awareness Week Poster 1 Pg 5

Tips For Celebrating Pg 6

Awareness Week Ideas Pg 9

Awareness Week Poster 2 Pg 10

2015 Activity of the Year Pg 11

Word Cloud Pg 13

APO Convention Details Pg 14

Awards Information Pg 15

Bursary Application Pg 16

100 Years Ago Pg 17

Contact Information Pg 18

ACTIVITY PROFESSIONALS

AWARENESS WEEK PACKAGE

2016

SAVE THE DATES

Call For Papers Awards /Bursary APO Convention

April 15th, 2016 Various Dates Oct 19th - 21st, 2016

Speakers wishing to

submit a proposal

visit our website for

information.

Nominate, recognize,

recommend or apply on

our website for an

opportunity to win.

Join us at our annual

convention to be held

in Scarborough, ON

Building a better tomorrow… today.

What does that mean? It could mean

many different things to many different

people. It could be a loaded question or as

simple as preparing ourselves today for

the future and whatever life may throw at

us. This could be taking a class to enhance

our skills or learning new and innovating

ways to promote our profession. Any way

you look at it, we can always find new

ways to build a better tomorrow, today for us as professionals.

As we build up to this year’s Activity Professionals Awareness Week, we

will have an opportunity to showcase what we do, who we are, and what we

stand for. To tell the homes where we work that there is so much more to

Recreation than Bingo and Bowling.

So, I encourage each and every one of you to sing your praises and let every-

body know that it’s Activity Professionals Awareness Week!

As always, I would love to hear from you. If you have any comments, ques-

tions, or suggestions, I can be reached by phone or email.

Tammy Doxtator-Jones

Activity Professionals of Ontario

[email protected]

President’s Remarks

mailto:[email protected]

WHO ARE WE AS

ACTIVITY PROFESSIONALS?

What does it mean to work in the field of Recreation?

It is a profession which recognizes recreation, leisure, and play as integral components of

quality of life. Service is provided to individuals who have physical, mental, social and

emotional limitations which impact their ability to engage in meaningful leisure

experiences.

We as professionals aim to improve the quality of life, functioning, and health status of

our clients through recreation & leisure activities. We provide emotional support and com-

fort and individualized person-centred care.

What are the Benefits of Recreation?

to improve physical, social, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual abilities

build self-confidence

promote self-reliance; increase independence

reduce behaviours, agitation, and anxiety

manage stress

enrich life through growth and development

strengthen interpersonal skills

ease fear

express feelings

learn new skills, maintain/strengthen current abilities

use leisure time well

What do Recreation Professionals do?

Assess: Conduct an assessment of each client’s functional/mental abilities, leisure

interests, needs and wishes.

Plan: Develop a care plan for clients. Set shor t term and long term goals. Develop

meaningful activities based on interests and needs of clients. Gather necessary information

and tools needed in the program to help the client achieve these goals.

Implement: Facilitate and assist clients in par ticipation of individual and group

activities. Monitor their progress.

Evaluate: Review the clients’ care plan and goals. Revise plan accordingly.

THE HARDEST FUN JOB YOU WILL EVER FIND

People say we have the fun job and this is very true,

But it also is a hard one, known only by a few.

Others see the parties, games and special events,

But do they realize we have to count every dollar and cent?

Many times we have to beg, borrow, Oh no-not steal!

We just have to look around for some really good deals.

Where can we get balls, art supplies, and other things we need?

Donations and gifts are a blessing indeed!

We always have to be happy, and sometimes act like a clown,

But sometimes it’s not easy when you feel sad and down.

You need to go behind the scenes, and see the other things we do,

Like all the paperwork, schedules, meetings to name just a few.

We need to be there for our clients but also family members too,

We try to reassure them that Mom and Dad will not be blue.

Our workload is heavy, for our departments seem so small,

Yet we seem to make it all happen without a trip or a fall.

Yes, it is a fun job, and we wouldn’t change a thing,

Except when our entertainer doesn’t show up and oh no, we have to

SING!

Adapted from: Donna Andrew

Building A Better

Tomorrow...

Today!

Activity Professionals

Awareness Week

March 6 - 12, 2016

Tips for Celebrating Activity Professionals

Awareness Week

By: Lisa Hardisty

Before Activity Professionals Awareness Week in 2015, I wanted to come up

with some fun and interesting ways to not only honour my department staff for all

their continued hard work but also use the Week to educate the other staff working

in my facility on our profession. Between March 1 and 7 of 2015, the facility and

staff of Bay Haven Senior Care Community in Collingwood, were treated to an

overview of our Activity Department and what it means to be an Activity Profes-

sional. Hope some of these tips can help you, your staff and your facility have a

fun and educational Activity Professionals Awareness Week this year!

→Start with honouring your staff

My Home has a large social media following and during Activity Professional

Awareness Week, we took to our Facebook Page

to feature not only our outstanding programs,

but also our outstanding Activity Staff. My

department consists of 3 front line staff

Assistants plus myself as Activation

Coordinator. Each day, on Facebook and within

the department, we featured one member of the

Activity Staff, noting when they joined the

department, their signature programs and

favourite hobbies outside of work. A picture of

the staff member and a small write up

accompanied our Facebook posts. It was a lot of

fun to see our resident’s families engage with the

Facebook posts and thank our Activity Staff for the positivity they have brought

into their loved ones lives through programs and visiting. On the day a staff

member was featured, I treated that staff member to a lunch meal of their choice.

→Interactive informative display

A promotional display is a fun way to present

information to residents, families, volunteers and staff

on the Activity Profession. Between Monday and Friday

of APO Week (5 days), I changed the display so that

each day was represented by one of the five domains

(physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual) I

provided examples of what types of programs being

offered on the activity calendar fall under each domain.

A fill-in-the-blank form was created by myself as a

contest for readers of the display. The readers had to use

the form and search for the information presented on the

display. Completed forms were turned into the Activity

Office for a prize. Other information included on the display included the

difference between Activity Professionals and Recreation Therapists and the

Purpose and Benefits of Recreation to an individual.

→Promote, Promote, Promote

Use your activity calendars, posters, Facebook, Twitter, word of mouth to

promote the Activity Profession and your department’s successes; not just during

Activity Professionals Awareness Week but all year long. Use as many free

resources as possible to promote all of the work we do as Activity Professionals.

Hand out copies of Awareness Week packages to your department staff (last year’s

edition was sent out by email, I printed extra copies for my department staff and

left some in the staff room for other facility staff to read as well). Meet with your

staff during Activity Professionals Week to share your successes and identify areas

for improvement.

However you choose to celebrate our Profession this year, please consider

sharing with us what you did to celebrate. We would love to hear new ideas

from the hard-working Professionals that are part of our organization. Email

your celebration stories to [email protected]


TIPS FOR CELEBRATING IN

YOUR HOME The success of Activity Professionals Awareness Week depends on you!

Use the following steps and suggestions to make the tribute to your profession as special

and as creative as possible while setting realistic objectives.

Step 1: Identify your target audience. Do you want to promote Recreation within your agency?

Within your community? Among other health care professionals?

Step 2: Once you know whom you are targeting, set realistic objectives of that you would like

to accomplish. Will it be a 1 day event or a weeklong event?

Step 3: Now that you have an objective… select an activity to meet your objective.

Step 4: Start sharing your ideas with the people around you. Get input from co-workers in your

department. Poll your target audience and see how well informed they are on what you do. The

more you know about your target audience, the better you will be able to reach them.

Step 5: Make a list of all the tasks to be done and when they should be accomplished. Dele-

gate tasks to others so everyone has an assigned role!. Make a list of the resources needed to

organize your activity, what it will cost (set up a budget) and where these resources can be ac-

quired.

Consider the following:

Make sure your event(s) don’t/doesn’t conflict with holidays or work schedules

Have back-up plans for last minute cancellations

Schedule the time of day and length of the activity to ensure the greatest level of

participation

Be sure to make accommodations for those with special needs

Consider signage on the day of the event for those who are not familiar with the site

Account for set-up, take down and clean up in your plans

Step 6: Allow sufficient time and energy for publicity and marketing efforts! Use posters, fly-

ers, memos, bulletin boards, make announcement at meetings, use promotional materi-

als…..use your imagination!

Step 7: After the event, write thank you letters to all volunteers, sponsors, participants and con-

tributors to the event. Evaluate the success of the event in relation to the objectives set, partici-

pation and feedback from those involved and SHARE this information (ie. agency newsletter)

CELEBRATING AWARENESS WEEK IDEAS

Create A Testimonial Board

Allow staff, clients, family, and community mem-

bers to write testimonials of how Recreation has

made a difference in their lives. Post that board in an

area where everyone can see and then use those tes-

timonials at department meetings to re-energize

everyone.

15 Minute In-Services

Provide in-services for different departments on a variety of topics such as

“Montessori”, “Doll Therapy”, “Gentle Persuasive Approaches”, etc.

Create A Program Contest

Get staff and managers from other de-

partments to share their ideas for pro-

grams. Have them fill out a simplified

program plan; complete with ideas for

food, decorations, music , etc. They will

submit it for a chance to win a prize and a

chance to see their program come alive.

Host A Meal For The Activity Department

We know how much our clients love a planned meal

just for them. Why not give the staff in your depart-

ment an opportunity to sit down, relax and appreciate

a meal just for them! Nothing says Thank You like a

special meal they don’t have to cook.

2015 Activity of the Year

“Senior Prom: Class of 1935– 1965”

By: Caitlin Beaudry

Congratulations to our Activity of the Year winner, Caitlin Beaudry, from

Greenwood Court. Her amazing program filled the hearts of so many with

memories of old while making participants feel young again. Details of her pro-

gram are as follows:

Program Procedure: The special event was held in the home’s gymnasium

and displayed as a “Big Band Era” theme to be reminiscent of their prom

experience. It was delivered as “Dress up if you wish, or come as you are and have

fun”. The residents of Greenwood Court enjoyed a pampering day at the spa,

picking out special outfits, filling their dance cards and listening to the music of

the swing band as well as being photographed in a photo booth. The high

functioning resident’s took on duties such as decorations and making corsages and

boutonnieres. Staff blew up balloons as well as used a back-drop and photo booth

from a staff member’s family wedding. They used existing tables and table cloths.

Old records were donated for decoration, special effect lighting was donated by

staff.

Support Needed: Due to the size of the prom, staff recruited approximately 20

volunteers. This included prom set up and take down, spa day, accompanying

resident’s to prom and filling their dance cards as well as serving juice and

cupcakes. The whole home worked as a unit to ensure this event was a success.

Extra staff came on board to help nursing prepare residents in special attire. The

hairdresser ensured all residents had their hair done the day before. Housekeeping

staff took on a late shift to help clean. Many staff members attended as guests and

dietary took on a large order of 100 decorated cupcakes.

Program Goals: The desired outcome of the program was to recreate

memories of an event they attended long ago. With a “Big Band” theme and period

music, the residents were motivated to dance with each other and our young

volunteers. See pictures on the next page!

Can I Have This

Dance?

Senior Prom:

Class of

1935– 1965

CREATE YOUR OWN WORD

CLOUD

Ask others what makes your team special. Why do you do what you do as an

Activity Professional? Generate your own word cloud a post it in you office to

remind yourselves why Activity Professionals need to celebrate

Convention Registration

Early-Bird Delegate Prices

APO Member Full Convention $410

Non-Member Full Convention $585

Registration will available online ONLY through the APO website

starting the end of March 15th, 2016

Registrations can still be paid by cheque, credit card or PayPal

Pre–registrants will be contacted to make session selections once the speakers are announced.

Annual Awards

Activity Of The Year

This award is given to recognize outstanding innovation, creativity, and/or

adaptability in program creation and facilitation. Programs and activities help to

motivate and engage our clients/residents so why not show off your hard work.

Mentor Of The Year

The Mentor of the Year Award is designed to recognize those leaders who

genuinely support and are actively involved in the recreation and activation

programs within the facility.

Award nomination forms are available online through the APO website.

Deadline for submissions is July 15th, 2016

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for cars was only sold in drug stores.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.

A dentist could make $2500 per year.

A veterinarian could make between $1500 and $4000 per year.

And, a mechanical engineer about $5000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.

Ninety percent of all doctors had no university education. Instead, they attended

so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the

government as “substandard.

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and, used Borax or egg yolks for

shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for

any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were: Pneumonia and influenza, Tuberculosis,

Diarrhea, Heart Disease, and Stroke.

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.

There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write and, only 6 percent of all British

students went to university.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local drug

stores. Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy

to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of

health!”

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

And last, there were about 230 reported murders in the USA

It is amazing how fast everything around us is changing. It is impossible to

imagine what it will be like in another 100 years!

100 Years Ago

Activity Professionals of Ontario

Executive Contacts

Any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions

Please do not hesitate to contact us

President

Tammy Doxtator-Jones

Email: [email protected]

Membership Chair

Lisa Hardisty


Secretary

Shelley Boate


North Region Representative

Vacant

Email: nor [email protected]

Treasure

April Beckett


South Region Representative

Heather Vokey


Education Chair

Vacant


East Region Representative

Browen Weeks


Convention Chair

Michelle Proulx


Central Region Representative

Mark Lundrigan


Public Relations

Vacant


Phone: 1-888-594-0140

Website: https://apoo.wildapricot.org/

Research & Development

Anne Marie Stoneburgh


Head Office Address: PO Box 293, Port

Hope, ON, L1A 3W4













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