A Day In The Life of Activities Co-ordinator Shelby
A Day In The Life of Activities Co-ordinator, Shelby.
Shelby, Malin Court’s Activities Co-ordinator, has embraced her new role after covid inflicted a career change from childminding. Having been in post since September 2021, Shelby has always enjoyed working with older adults – with her and her husband both being involved with Age Concern Girvan.
Shelby’s goal through incorporating various activities into the resident’s daily routine aims to bring out cognitive abilities and aid loneliness. Not everyone within the home is fortunate enough to have regular visitors, and so activities are an integral part of the lifestyle residents enjoy during their stay at Malin Court.
Working predominantly on a four on three off basis, Shelby’s daily routine includes:
· Starting work at 9am
· Printing any material she requires for the day ahead
· Saying hello and having a chat with residents – finding out how they and enjoying some social time
· Completing paperwork
Activities generally start around 11 am. This gives residents a chance to wake up in their own time, have something to eat, and get themselves organised while also allowing Shelby to engage with residents, reminding them what activities to expect on that day.
Shelby said: “Activities may start as one thing, such as singing or crafting – but may instead turn into a chat or quiz so it’s very much resident led. You can plan to an extent, but it doesn’t always end up like that. The main thing is that residents get involved and feel supported to do that.”
Creative and flexible activity plans
Shelby’s role also includes creating the home's newsletter, event planning, liaising with kitchen staff re: birthdays and special events and conducting 1-1 sessions with residents who may require it.
"It’s important that we offer lifestyle choices to residents and support each individual to be as active and independent as they desire. Varied and holistic activities cater for physical, mental and spiritual needs so an inclusive approach to the personalisation of activities is key to us."
Shelby embraces the person-centered care approach, when residents initially arrive at Malin Court, she will enjoy some quality 1:1 time with the individual to discover who they are as people, their life story, what hobbies and enjoyments they have, their likes, dislikes and assess how she may incorporate that into her activity planning. Necessary adjustments can then be made to involve residents in as many of the activities as possible by adapting the format of that activity. For example, utilising buzzers for quizzes when a resident has a visual impairment, or by using a speaker for bingo to amplify the noise for those with hearing difficulties. This then encourages others who may have been initially reluctant to join in.
She has seen great success as of late hosting social events which are always well-received by residents of the home. Most recently, a remembrance Sunday event featuring song and prayer – something close to many residents’ hearts. Activities work mainly on a rotating basis, but Shelby does incorporate as much variety as possible while also providing additional resources for residents to work on in their own time. Recently, she printed knitting patterns allowing residents to knit hats for their local special baby care unit. She also utilises her previous experience as a beautician to aid in boosting self-esteem, confidence and creating a less clinical experience for residents.
Shelby has big plans for the future of Malin’s activities: “Activities have a significant impact on resident health (both physically and mentally), wellbeing, and mood. It also allows a means of staying connected with one another, the local community, and often to the life our residents have led. I’d like to see the activities develop in the future through the introduction of transportation now that covid restrictions are easing – it would be nice to get the residents out and about again to explore our surroundings and enjoying the beautiful communities around us.”
