Activities and Devices for Long-Term Care Residents

Long-term care patients are patients who stay at a health care facility for an extended period of time. Some long term care patients, such as those in nursing homes, may end up spending the rest of their lives in care. There are many different activities that can help keep these patients active. In addition, there are numerous devices to help keep them healthy.

At Home Activities

• Long-term care patients may become homesick quickly. Try to make their home as much like home as possible. Hang family pictures up on the wall. Help them rearrange their furniture in ways they like. Schedule birthday parties for the residents and invite everyone in the facility, as well as family members. Celebrate all holidays and try to get all residents involved in some way. This can include creating and hanging decorations, wrapping presents and by doing other holiday-appropriate activities.

  Foster intra-facility relationships between patients. Hold regular party and movie nights. Meet with the group every day to discuss plans for the day, week, month and year. Let them vote on activities and try to get every patient involved. Encourage visits between your patients.

Community Activities

• Long-term care residents might become sick of being constantly cooped up in the facility. Community activities can get them out and active in their community. Go on shopping trips with residents with strong transportation abilities. Going shopping can help them feel back in control of their needs and their life. Simply taking your residents for a walk through a safe neighborhood can help them feel more in touch with their community. Residents in wheelchairs will have to be pushed.

  Sports games or other events may be suitable for the appropriate resident. The resident will be able to interact with members of the community while at these events. However, if a resident has aggressive tendencies, it may be best to keep him at home.

Healthcare Devices

• Many devices are available for long-term care residents that can help make their stay less difficult. They help residents get more control over their lives and can help increase their enjoyment of their daily activities. Weighted eating utensils help patients with tremors caused by diseases like Parkinson's disease hold onto their utensils while eating. Patients with limited mobility can still bathe regularly by using shower chairs, long-handled wash rag grippers to reach difficult areas, as well as removable shower heads.

  Patients confined to a wheelchair or bed can use gel comfort devices to avoid bed sores. These devices relieve some of the pressure from sitting in one position. There are also wheelchair positioners that help residents change positions in their chair regularly.