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The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic still reverberate throughout our state, and its effect is felt in residential care facilities for the elderly as well. Whether you received your California assisted living administrator certification years before anyone heard of this virus, or you are just now pursuing your credentials, you undoubtedly understand many RCFEs still struggle to fill their rooms.

This article examines ways the pandemic has negatively impacted assisted living facilities and discusses some creative techniques to find more leads and increase the number of residents you serve in this new normal. 

You may also want to consider the approaches discussed in the article 7 Ideas for Getting More Clients Into Your RCFE.

RCFE Census Numbers Impact Your Business

Although some California businesses have recovered from the economic devastation of the pandemic, many assisted living facilities in the state have watched their RCFE census levels take a dive. 

Since the RCFE census, or the number of beds occupied on a certain day and time each week, is tied to the amount of money coming in, your census directly affects the bottom line. You must still meet loan payments, utilities, salaries, and other expenses whether your RCFE census is at 60% or 85% of available beds.

If you own or manage one of approximately 83% of California’s RCFEs that cares for 15 or fewer residents, you probably have a pretty good handle on how your home’s census is doing.

Pandemics Change Priorities

Even before COVID-19, safety and wellness were important considerations for prospective residents and their families as they sifted through options.

Concerns often focused on quality of care, including measures to prevent accidents, assure good nutrition, and provide exercise opportunities. At the same time, physical surroundings and special amenities often ranked very high when considering a facility.

Once the pandemic hit, beautiful surroundings, gourmet meals, and unique activities suddenly didn’t matter. Media reports highlighted care facility deaths, staff shortages, and visitor restrictions resulting in elderly residents being denied the comfort of family.

Many of these stories still linger with people, causing distrust in all healthcare facilities. If the Centers for Disease Control issue warnings such as the recent one about Candida auris infections at healthcare locations, some people may panic. 

When planning marketing and promotional strategies for your RCFE, it’s important to realize overcoming negative perceptions is a top concern.

A New Normal Necessitates Best Practices and Fresh Strategies

If you are thinking about opening an assisted living facility, improving your current one, or launching an additional location, be sure to review 10 Steps to Open an RCFE in California. 

Even with experience, the importance of selecting the right director with assisted living administrator certification, for example, is important to go over again.

As you strive to build trust and confidence in your RCFE as a safe haven offering assistance with daily living while helping residents maintain independence, it is vital to remember these points:

• Adult children are more involved than ever in finding the right RCFE for parents.
• Improving the image of your assisted living home is necessary.
• A positive attitude sets the tone for everyone involved.

While you want to put the best possible light on your RCFE, its staff, and the great care it offers, it is vital to remain honest and transparent. Work hard on every area of your RCFE and use the following ideas to highlight what you offer and deliver:

1. Revisit Your RCFE Mission Statement

Your RCFE mission statement makes a great tool to address negative perceptions of healthcare facilities and emphasize the safe, home-like environment you offer in a concise, positive way. 

The mission statement should reflect your facility’s unique strengths, values, and respect for residents and their families. Think about how it can address post-pandemic concerns by including positive attributes:

• Welcoming
• Safety plans in place
• Emphasis on resident independence
• Open communication
• Warm, caring, and respectful involvement of staff and residents

Once you develop your mission statement and adjust it based on input from stakeholders, share it in a prominent place in your facility, post it on social media, and include it in promotional materials.

2. Design Structured Tours for Prospects and Families

You only have one chance to make a good first impression so avoid off-the-cuff tours whenever possible. Your website and social media accounts can welcome prospects, families, and interested individuals on tours while still encouraging an online appointment system.

You should also have a system for handling unexpected drop-ins in a welcoming but organized manner.

RCFE tour plans should include these important elements:

• Printed map of the facility, brochures, and other handouts
• List of tour stops
• Points to address
• Staff members to introduce
• Training completed by employees

You may also hold helpful presentations to bring community members and adult children concerned about aging parents into your facility. Topics such as Tips To Help Seniors Adjust to an RCFE provide valuable information.

3. Assign a Staff Member To Communicate With Each Resident’s Family

One of the chief pandemic-induced concerns for families of prospects involves keeping in close touch once the loved one becomes a resident. 

Offering an optional program where care staff shares a weekly brief email or phone text with a family member can help overcome this fear. For example, a nursing assistant might share a photo of the resident participating in an activity.

While this program involves some organizational and training time, it builds trust with families and improves bonds between staff and residents.

4. Prioritize Staff Evaluations and Expand Training

While many certifications and assisted living courses are mandated by the California Department of Social Services, carrying out regular staff evaluations, selecting the best-required training available, and implementing additional in-house training to improve employee skills all help raise your staff’s performance to the next level. 

Promote your employees’ continuing education RCFE schedule on your website and honor staff who complete assisted living courses on social media and during tours.

5. Build Relationships With People and Organizations Who Refer Prospects

As you look for ways to grow your RCFE, it’s important to realize referrals can come from many different sources:

• Hospital discharge planners
• Medical clinics and physical therapists
• Current and former residents and their families
• Current and former employees
• Frequent visitors

It’s important to cultivate relationships with these resources, express gratitude when they send prospects to you, and reciprocate when they need help.

Take Creative Steps Now To Improve Your RCFE Census

Finding new leads and increasing the resident population requires time, work, and the commitment to try out new ideas in a world that is not the same as it was just a few years ago. At Assisted Living Education, we stand ready to provide the highest-quality training, licensing assistance, and growth strategies available. 

Who is Assisted Living Education?

If you’re looking to start an assisted living facility or provide RCFE staff training for your employees, Assisted Living Education can help. We are a certified vendor in California offering  a variety of state-approved learning opportunities and guidance to help you meet your California assisted living administrator certification objectives. Contact us today to see how they can support you in achieving your goals.

There is no secret that a career in the senior care industry can be very rewarding — both personally and professionally. The senior care field offers plenty of benefits, such as job stability and the potential for growth, but getting an RCFE certification is often a crucial step towards gaining employment or owning a facility. 

Aspiring caregivers must have an understanding of the legal requirements associated with this certification process if they want to become RCFE-certified professionals. 

This article is an overview of the preliminary measures to consider before becoming RCFE certified in preparation to work for an RCFE or to start your own RCFE. 

Clarify Your Goals and Purpose for RCFE Certification

Before you move ahead with your plans, it’s important to know what you want to achieve by owning or managing an RCFE. Additionally, it’s helpful to do some self-reflection to understand why you want to pursue this path. Administrators and RCFE owners often list personal experiences or deep convictions as motivation to run an assisted living facility. Other reasons include:

• A positive experience caring for a family member or friend
• Satisfying employment as a caretaker or other position at an RCFE
• A desire to help others and make a difference
• Confidence in running a successful business

If you’re not quite sure of the role you want to pursue in running an RCFE, mind mapping can help get your thoughts and ideas down on paper. Once you pinpoint a definite goal, such as working as an RCFE administrator, you can move on to the steps you must take to reach your objective.

Research Information and Explore the Field

If you’re feeling some apprehension about taking the next step, the act of gathering all the facts and knowing exactly what you need to do can ease your fears. Learning everything involved in your new endeavor can also provide a reality check to make sure it is a good fit.

For example, perhaps you’re thinking about becoming an RCFE owner. You might prepare by reading about five questions to ask before turning your home into an RCFE. 

Look At Helpful Websites

Trustworthy internet resources provide basic information such as certification requirements, course availability, and testing and licensing fees. 

Since the California Department of Social Services oversees RCFE certification in California, the CDSS website is a good place to start your research for both facility licensing and administrator certification. Take time to examine the various pages and follow the links to get a clear picture of the three necessary steps to get your RCFE license California:

• Complete a mandatory orientation
• Fill out the appropriate application
• Pay the licensing fee

You must register for the required online orientation, which costs $50 for registration and $4.85 for processing. You receive important information about the licensing process during the orientation, but note that once you register, you only have 30 days to finish the online course and print your completion certificate. You can also view the actual application forms, as well as a chart of the RCFE license California fees, which vary according to the size of the facility.

Additionally, the Assisted Living Education blog is an excellent resource for practical tips and timely information about required RCFE classes, RCFE ownership and more. Get informative blog posts by signing up for our newsletter. 

Investigate Mandatory Course Providers

As part of the procedure in California to become an administrator, you must finish an Initial Certification Training Program offered by an approved vendor, as well as achieve a score of at least 70% on the certification exam given by the CDSS. After meeting these qualifications, you also need to complete an Application for Administrator Certification that includes a $120 processing fee.

As you research the websites of various ICTP providers, you may want to compare some important points:

• Instructor qualifications and experience
• Class size
• Exam preparations
• Course locations and times
• Price

Remember that this training program prepares you not only to pass the certification exam but also to successfully carry out your duties once you begin your career as an RCFE administrator or owner. Assisted Living Education is a certified vendor. Certification must be through a certified vendor.

Visit Different RCFE Facilities

California licenses more than 7,400 RCFEs in the state, and they vary greatly in size, location, number of residents and employees, and types of amenities. Make appointments to visit several assisted living homes in your area to see how they differ in their indoor and outdoor environments, activities, food service, and daily schedules. You can learn a lot about the type of facility you would enjoy owning or managing.

Talk to Others in the Field

Job shadowing a working administrator or RCFE owner provides an inside look at your goal of RCFE certification. If job shadowing for a day isn’t possible, an in-depth interview that covers a typical work shift can also prove helpful. Come prepared with a list of questions in order of importance in case the time is short:

• Why did you decide to become an RCFE administrator?
• What made you want to start your own assisted living facility?
• What was the most challenging part of your certification course?
• What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
• What is your favorite part of the workday?

Listen carefully to the answers, asking follow-up questions if something isn’t clear. Always send a brief note of thanks after someone has given you time and shared knowledge.

Get Work Experience If Needed

One of your main reasons for pursuing administrator certification or opening your RCFE may hinge on previous employment at an assisted living facility.

 If you have never worked at an RCFE or similar type of operation, logging some experience provides many benefits:

• You’ll find out if this is a good fit for your skills and temperament.
• You’ll learn exactly what is involved in the daily operations of an RCFE.
• You’ll gain experience to help you in your certification course and exam.
• You’ll acquire insight into the aging process and the needs of the elderly.
• You’ll make friends and contacts in the field.

Take the First Step Toward RCFE Certification

As you identify and work toward your new goals, selecting the right training and people to help you in your quest makes a big difference. Assisted Living Education is a CDSS-approved vendor for the RCFE administrator certification training course. Our experienced instructors present the curriculum you need in an interesting class filled with real-life anecdotes about running an assisted living facility.

You may also want to obtain professional help in completing your application for an RCFE license in California. This is a long, complicated process, and our RCFE license application service can help you get it right. Also, see our popular blog about 10 Steps to Open an RCFE in California for a thorough overview of important steps. 

Assisted Living Education provides a wide range of state-approved learning opportunities and assistance to those seeking RCFE staff training for employees or guidance on starting an assisted living facility. Contact us today to learn how Assisted Living Education can help you meet all your RCFE certification objectives. 

If you received assisted living certification and manage or work for a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE), you realize the residents of your community all have different needs, emotions, and temperaments. This becomes evident when you welcome seniors to their new assisted living home. 

While backgrounds and circumstances  may appear similar, no two residents take the same amount of time or assistance to adjust to this new period in their lives.

Acclimating  your newest RCFE community members to their new home and way of life not only benefits them but helps to create a better living environment for existing residents and an improved working atmosphere for staff. Implementing  an adjustment protocol reduces anxiety for residents and gives staff a replicable process to follow. 

Daily routines and activities continue smoothly, and happy residents and their families often become ambassadors for your facility. This article presents tips to ease seniors into their new life in a successful RCFE.

Undertake These 8 Strategies With a Positive Mindset

While some people naturally embrace change more readily, moving from a beloved home to a group facility is difficult for most individuals. 

Remember this important fact: new residents are often mourning losses that not only include their home but also friends and neighbors, health problems, and even their independence. As you take these measures to help seniors adapt, encourage them with an upbeat attitude but also show respect for their grieving.

1. Offer a Pre-Move Meal and Visit

A prospective resident and family may visit your RCFE and several others before deciding to join your assisted living community. Once they make a selection, however, some time may pass before the actual move. 

Inviting the future resident and a guest to meet community members and staff, share a meal in the dining area, and learn where everything is located can accomplish several purposes.

A pre-move meal and visit gives future residents a chance to get comfortable with your facility before the actual transition. The resident can meet neighbors who inhabit nearby rooms, get acquainted with the activity director and administrator, and ask questions about move-in procedures. Since moving day is inevitably fraught with emotions and stress, a preview of the facility can relieve tension.

2. Present a Welcome Basket on Move-In Day

This may sound expensive, but it doesn’t cost much to show your newest resident you care. Include some appropriate snacks, a few travel-size toiletries, a word search or other puzzle book, some postcards to send friends the new address, and an activity schedule.

3. Help Make the Individual’s Room a Personalized Retreat

An adult child or family member often helps the new resident move in and set up the room to include treasured items brought from home. Even in these cases, make sure to stop in during the first weeks to see if the resident needs help rearranging anything or adding an item to feel more comfortable.

If the new arrival doesn’t have anyone to set up the room, ask a staff member to help. Choose an employee with the interest and skills to create a better living environment for residents. Making a new resident feel safe and comfortable in their private quarters is an essential part of this new transition.

4. Let the New Resident Make Decisions

Seniors often fear moving to an RCFE means loss of independence and the opportunity to make their own decisions. The best way to allay these concerns is to allow them to make choices right away. While staff can help a new community member set up personal space, for instance, the final decisions should rest with the resident unless safety is an issue.

When possible, give the resident several options rather than asking yes or no questions. For example, instead of asking if the person wants to watch the group movie, ask whether they would rather watch the movie, take a walk outdoors, or work on holiday decorations with the craft group. If the individual chooses to stay in the room to read, accept that choice graciously too.

5. Match the New Resident With Mentors Where Possible

Providing an entering resident with a mentor can give the newbie a sense of security. If questions arise, the unfamiliar person knows exactly where to go for an answer. Just as you may have needed assistance with RCFE application processes or help to make your RCFE eco-friendly, new residents often need someone to guide them too.

The feasibility of a mentor program can depend on the size of your facility, but asking an established resident or employee, or both, to help an incoming community member makes adjusting easier. As a staff mentor spends time getting to know the new resident, the employee can also inform other caregivers about any concerns or interests the recent arrival expresses.

6. Find Ways To Keep the New Resident Connected to Favorite Activities

Even in larger RCFEs with a dedicated activity department, it is impossible to plan programs for every hobby or special interest.

This does not mean, however, that you can’t still provide some ways for the new resident to stay linked to a previous pastime. You can harness the power of the internet through YouTube videos, online classes, virtual clubs, and discussion groups.

You may learn, for instance, that a new resident was active in model railroading or weaving rugs before moving to your facility. Perhaps the individual could carry out a limited version of the activity by painting small buildings for railroad layouts or weaving placemats on a small loom. If that isn’t feasible, the hobbyist can still watch videos, participate in online hobby groups, or read library books on the subject.

7. Involve the New Community Member With a Worthy Cause

Helping others or embracing a social movement is one of the best ways to get through a challenging personal situation. If a new resident experiences difficulty adjusting to assisted living, enlist the person’s help with a worthwhile project.

The possibilities are endless, so try suggesting several options that might provide a good match. These could include knitting cozy hats for newborns, writing encouraging letters to prisoners, volunteering at a nearby food pantry, tutoring children in reading, or even spearheading an effort to make your RCFE eco-friendly.

8. Stay Patient and Respect the New Resident’s Timeline

A warm welcome to all new residents when they move into your California RCFE is an important first step. Being available to the new resident as they learn to adjust to living in assisted living is also important. However, each new resident has an individual timetable for adapting, socializing, and getting involved. Be patient and positive but never pushy with recent arrivals.

Wherever You Are in Your Assisted Living Certification Journey, We Can Help

Whether you already have a successful RCFE or need assistance with RCFE application procedures or assisted living certification, we encourage and support you every step of the way. Assisted Living Education provides certification classes, CEU classes, test preparation, manuals, license application services, and other consulting assistance. Contact us today to learn how we can help.

Workplace safety is an important subject when it comes to managing a residential care facility for the elderly (RCFE) and needs to be considered when you want to start an assisted living business. 

While regulations for workplace safety are required by law, they also set the stage for a healthy and effective workplace culture at your RCFE. 

An RCFE is a complex environment to manage. Staff provide residents with personal care, meal preparation, medication assistance, activities, housekeeping, laundry tasks and facility maintenance. 

Each of these operations carries its own set of occupational hazards. By prioritizing workplace safety, you set the example for everyone at your RCFE and create many tangible benefits for your whole facility.

Remember, you must know your workplace safety regulations before you can submit your RCFE license application and open an RCFE. Additional information is available on workplace safety in the OSHA manual for RCFEs.

Prioritizing Workplace Safety Shows You Care About Your Workers and Residents

When an employer goes out of their way to ensure day-to-day tasks are being performed safely, it shows everyone that the leadership is looking out for the safety of those they are responsible for. This action has an effect on workers and residents. 

When workers know the leadership cares about their well-being and workplace safety, rules are communicated to staff along with this message. Those actions will help build relationships between workers and leadership in your RCFE

If you take care of your personnel, they will take care of you. You enforce safety because it keeps people safe, not just because of regulations.

Let’s review a few pieces of information about workplace safety protocols.

When to Report Injuries and Illness at an RCFE

If an incident happens at your RCFE where a worker may have been injured or becomes ill, being aware of the regulations regarding incident reporting are critical. Here are the required steps to determine if an incident must be reported at your RCFE:

• Was it fatal?

• Was there a hospital admission for the worker?

• Was there an amputation or loss of an eye?

• Did serious permanent disfigurement occur to some degree?

If the answer is no to all of these questions, the incident does not need to be reported.  But, if the answer is yes to any of these questions, you must report the incident to CA/OHSA immediately, within 8 hours at the latest.

Reporting incidents quickly (when required) will ensure you stay within regulations and show that you prioritize the safety of those at your RCFE.

Make Sure Patient Handling Is Being Handled Properly

Each year, thousands of injuries occur to patients due to unsafe handling. To make sure your RCFE doesn’t produce one of these statistics, know the patient safe handling regulations.

Patient safe handling regulations apply when the handling of the patient falls within one of the types of patient handling categories. There are four types of patient handling, according to first aid certificate RCFE California regulations:

• To lift: moving the body of a patient vertically or supporting any part of the body or the entire body.

• To mobilize: placing in motion any part of the patient’s body or to assist in doing so

• To reposition: altering the position of the patient in a chair, gurney, bed, or another type of support

• To transfer: moving a patient from a surface to another surface, for example, from a gurney to a bed

Make sure you review the patient handling regulations and ensure they are followed when patient assistance activities fall within one of these categories.

Also, patients might know when they are being handled improperly. Your patients should know and feel they are being cared for and that they are your priority.

Hazardous Chemicals Are Not for Consumption

Hazardous chemicals need to be properly labeled according to regulations. Don’t assume that it is obvious to everyone at an RCFE what items are hazardous and which ones are not. Below is a partial overview of how hazardous materials should be labeled according to regulations.

Hazardous chemicals require the following elements on labels:

• Name, address, and phone number for the manufacturer of the chemical, importer, or other party that is responsible

• Product identifier: this is the method for how the hazardous chemical is identified. For instance, this could be the name of the chemical, batch number, or its code. The product identifier must be the same on both the label and in section one of the SDS

• Signal words must be used on the label to communicate the level of severity of the hazard and alert the person who is reading to the potential hazard. Only two words can be placed as signal words, “danger” and “warning” 

• For a given hazard class, “danger” is for the more severe hazards. “Warning” is for the less severe hazards.

• Hazard statements must be present. Hazard statements outline the nature of the hazards of the chemical. 

• When appropriate, this will describe how hazardous the chemical is. For example, a chemical might cause damage to the kidneys as a result of exposure to the skin.

These are only some of the elements required on labels! Make sure to read the Cal/OSHA Hazard Communication Regulation — a Guide for Employers That Use Hazardous Chemicals to know the complete list of required elements!

An RCFE may have residents who have a hard time discerning hazards. A resident could have poor eyesight or be unable to tell what is dangerous because of intellectual disability, to name only a couple of reasons.

Workers might get distracted while trying to handle multiple tasks or might not be familiar with containers or chemicals. Clear labeling, proper handling, and correct storage of all hazardous chemicals are needed to create your desired safe environment.

Make Sure Your RCFE is OSHA Compliant

Again, If you are looking to open an RCFE, workplace safety regulations are just one of the subjects you will have to know. 

Make sure you are knowledgeable about workplace safety and other requirements. The assisted living administrator certification you must obtain for the RCFE license application will test your knowledge of these topics.

Taking Care of Your team

There is a lot to know when it comes to workplace safety for your RCFE! Here we briefly reviewed regulatory information for incident reporting, patient handling, and labeling hazardous chemicals.

Our brief review should remind you that there are many regulations to stay on top of. This overview only scratches the surface.

Regulations can be very detailed with their requirements. You will need to get your hands on the regulations and read through them to ensure you are following the rules correctly. 

Make sure you and your staff have the complete list of updated workplace safety regulations. Get the latest version of the OHSA manual for RCFEs. 

Remember, safety starts with you. It is important to understand that when you are running an RCFE, everyone will be looking to you for guidance. . 

However much you ‘let things slide’ or ignore regulations when it is convenient, your workers will match your example. Your behavior example will determine how your workers follow regulations when you are not there.

Assisted Living Education is Your Resource for RCFE Certifications, Licenses and Guidance

In the end, the responsibility falls on you. Are you looking to improve your RCFE’s performance? 

Assisted Living Education is a certified vendor providing RCFE classes for employees and guidance in keeping your RCFE compliant and running smoothly.

Contact us today.

As an owner, administrator, or employee of a residential care facility for the elderly (RCFE), you want your residents to be physically healthy, mentally stimulated, and emotionally satisfied. That’s a tall order, and it’s always challenging for any size RCFE to meet residents’ individual needs in order to create a happy, viable community. 

Movement is crucial to a robust lifestyle, especially later in life. According to a CDC report “25% of Americans 65+ fall down and that falling is the leading cause of senior injury and death.”  Taking preventative measures like practicing balancing exercises and strength training help safeguard seniors from injury. 

Physical activity has the added benefit of improving mental health. Active seniors usually feel happier, sleep better, and are more mentally alert than those who are inactive.

Provide a Positive Atmosphere for Activities

You will find it easier to get residents motivated and involved in physical activities and other pursuits if your staff is upbeat, welcoming, and exhibits a can-do attitude. Attracting the right RCFE employees in the first place makes this task much easier to execute.

Focus Staff Training on Encouraging Seniors

From assisted living classes for certification to your employee training, making certain techniques and strategies to increase the active participation of residents is a top priority. Staff members should be familiar with the needs of seniors and how seniors can be gently encouraged to participate in activities.

Emphasize the Need To Understand Residents

Although it takes time and effort, each RCFE administrator or staff member should learn about individual residents and find out what is important to them. While it’s impossible to remember everything, taking a moment or two each day provides new insights.

Create a Fun Facts Banner and Name Pin for Each Resident

A wall banner with the senior’s name and favorite activity, such as reading, yoga, or playing guitar, not only serves as a reminder to staff but also introduces the person to other residents. Likewise, a name pin with a phrase that indicates that an individual likes to read or take walks makes a great ice breaker in recreational areas.

Try These 9 Ways to Stimulate Participation

Even a small RCFE can offer a smorgasbord of physical and enjoyable activities to get residents moving and involved in new pursuits. As you look over this list, it’s important to remember that each senior is unique, and no activity will appeal to everyone.

1. Encourage Digital Photography

Residents can use a tablet, phone, or digital camera. You can conduct a class or furnish several basic photography books as resources. The seniors can print out their best efforts and hang them on the wall. Alternatively, teach them to store photos in the cloud where they can share them with family members and friends. 

Residents can enjoy the technical challenges such as composition or lighting, or they can record their particular interests by photographing flowers, birds, butterflies, or sunsets.

2. Provide Gardening Opportunities

If your assisted living facility has room outside for flower beds or small vegetable plots, residents who maintained gardens in the past can enjoy bringing beauty and tasty produce to others. If outdoor endeavors aren’t possible, they can still maintain a few container plants in sunny communal areas or their rooms.

Implement gardening classes (even for container gardening) where residents can learn how to make their plants thrive. The act of physically working with soil and the intellectual exercise of understanding how to keep plants alive is both physically and mentally stimulating.

3. Include Cooking Events

Both new and experienced cooks can enjoy interesting cuisines with different ingredients. From yeast dough to colorful salads, there is a dish to interest every palate. Choose a country or a theme for a special meal, and let each participant or a team of two make a dish.

4. Conduct Daily Steps Contests

For those who enjoy a little competition, monitoring steps get seniors moving.. Purchase some inexpensive pedometers and assign them to the participating residents. Post a chart with the competitors’ names, and see who achieves the most steps over a set period.

5. Sponsor a Little Free Library

With more than 150,000 Little Free Libraries worldwide, your residents can benefit in many ways from this project. They can help decorate the library box, solicit books from residents, staff, and family members, and keep an eye on the library to ensure a steady supply of books. Finally, they can read books exchanged in the library and hold book discussions.

6. Offer Nintendo Wii Experiences and More

These classic video games get older adults into action. Wii offers golf, tennis, and bowling for more physical activity. For newer gaming options consider introducing Minecraft to your residents. Post a chart with individual scores for those preferring to play alone or organize team competitions. Student volunteers could give the seniors tips.

7. Plan a Scavenger or Treasure Hunt

This activity gets even those with limited mobility up and moving. Provide participants with lists of items to obtain from staff members and other residents or hide items around the property for them to find.

8. Hold Holiday Parties for Neighborhood Kids

Sponsoring Christmas or Valentine’s Day parties can bring a lively event to your residents.

9. Develop Walking Maps to Explore the Neighborhood

Without a doubt, frequent walks offer many benefits for the seniors in your facility, and you want to encourage walking in every way possible. Creating simple neighborhood maps with routes of varying lengths provides a good way to get reluctant walkers started. Feature nearby parks, interesting buildings, and homes with beautiful landscaping and ask residents to add other ideas.

We Provide Support for Your RCFE

Whether you need RCFE staff training for new employees, RCFE continuing education for current workers, or help with how to start an assisted living facility, we offer state-approved learning opportunities and assistance. Peruse our convenient website or contact Assisted Living Education to receive immediate help with all your needs.