Answer to LinkedIn comment:
Theoretically I agree that activity staff often treat their residents like kindergarteners and don't offer enriching experiences. It is important to understand that a huge portion of nursing home and assisted living residents suffer from some sort of dementia reducing their ability to appreciate very sophisticated programming. Having said this, caregivers and staff must be trained to look for and connect with their charges at each individual's level of sophistication, cognition and physical ability. It helps if activity groups are set up homogeneously according to level of functioning. I believe the methodology behind the Benevolent Ballet-Fall Prevention for the Elderly program has been so successful because each person is taken as an individual and treated accordingly. For high functioning well off seniors we talk about composers, time signitures, ballets, muscle groups etc. For Alzheimer's groups we discuss the music in terms of feelings, memories and rhythm. Muscle use is discussed by encourageing observation of where the movement is felt. Much of these discussions take the form of body language and expression. I also believe that if the resident trusts that you know where they are coming from, they will be more apt to follow participate and enjoy.
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