Connections

The goal of the handbook, Connections, is to make your nursing home visits more enjoyable. The handbook includes basic advice for visiting friends and relatives in nursing homes. There are strategies for strengthening your personal connections, and ideas for how to foster a bond between you and your friend or relative. The heart of the handbook has over one hundred user-friendly, easy to understand, short activity plans. The activities are designed to help you and your friend or family member have a good time together. Each plan consists of goals, materials, directions, and an assessment, "How did the activity go?" The activities are created for varying ability levels, including dementia, and they cover a range of interests such as hobbies, free time activities, sports, vocational interests, travel, and family memories. The directions for the activities are easy to follow and all the activities have ideas for conversation starters. The activities use materials that are reusable or low cost. Each activity is a collaborative non-judgmental endeavor between you, the visitor, and the person who you are visiting. The activity provides an opportunity for you to build a relationship, make connections and have an enjoyable time. The activities in this handbook give you, the visitor, the potential to generate many additional ideas for activities and conversations. As you become successful in spending enjoyable time together, your confidence will increase and your own creativity in designing activities and conversation starters will flourish.