Hobbies And Interests
Groundhog Day
February 2nd is Grounhog Day. Gather with your residents in advance of the day to discuss the holiday. Ask them for stories about the day and if they believe in the legend. Research the origin of Groundhog Day and tell the residents how the holiday got started and about variations of the holiday around the world. Have a Groundhog Day pool where residents bet on whether the groundhog will see his shadow or not. Have residents split into two teams based on their choice and spend the week building up team spirit. On Groundhog Day, videotape a news program on the event. Gather the residents together to watch the tape. Build the excitement by getting staff members to join a team and start a chant about being the winner. When the video reveals the finding, award the winning team a special certificate or a small prize. Take a picture of the winning team and post it on the activity board. Make it an annual tradition.
Valentine's Day
February 14 marks Valentine' Day. Bring residents together to create craft projects or special cards to give to a loved one. Have plenty of red paper, heart templates, doilies and other art supplies handy. If someone has a tremor or difficulty with judgment, have an activity specialist help guide the individual's hand or create a card on her behalf while sitting with and taking instructions from the resident. Allow the resident to dictate the words to include in the card. Prepare special treats with the residents, such as chocolate dipped strawberries or chocolate chip cookies. Hold a special Valentine's Day dinner and serve the sweet treats for dessert. Play love songs in the evening and offer residents assisted opportunities to dance with each other and with staff member to celebrate. Invite family members to come to the facility and share in the celebration.
President's Day
The third Monday in February is President's Day. This holiday presents a special opportunity to discuss history and past presidents. Have the residents discuss the former presidents that were in office during their youth. Ask what they remember from major presidential events such as Kennedy's assassination, Nixon's resignation or Roosevelt's battle with polio. Print out 8-by-10 photos of former presidents and the current president, and ask residents to name them, their dates of office and identify major events or actions of each president. Ask if they remember when the holiday was called Washington's Birthday and if they like name change to President's day.
Black History Month
February is also Black History Month. Use different dates during the month to discuss the contributions African Americans have made to society. Dig up artifacts, books, old news articles from your library or historical society archives. Ask residents to recall periods of discrimination against certain ethnic groups or if they themselves experienced ethnic discrimination. Use the discussion as an opportunity to discuss the hardships faced historically by all groups. Ask for their stories in overcoming these kinds of struggles.