| Pathways to the Past By Sandra Stimson ADC, CALA, CDP Executive Director, Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care http://www.activitytherapy.com http://www.nccdp.org/index.htm |
ABOUT SANDRA Sandra Stimson has experience as a corporate consultant, Corporate Trainer and National Speaker. Her experience is in long term care, as Activity Director, Director of Alzheimer's Units and Assistant Administrator of a 550 bed long term care county home. She is Co-founder of Pet Express Pet Therapy Club, is a Life Replay Specialist. Sandra implements dementia units nationwide. Sandra has written several books, Volunteer Management Essentials for Long Term Care and Pet Express Pet Therapy Program. Sandra has been a facilitator for Alzheimer's support groups and is the Awards Chair for the NJ Association of Activity Professionals. Sandra is the Executive Director of National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners http://www.nccdp.org Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care offers resources for health care professionals in many areas of dementia care, care plans, Snoezelen products, dementia activity calendars, adult day care calendars, sensory calendars, reminisce videos for dementia, activity books, and dates to remember, party supplies, resources and links. |
| Each Norman Rockwell print is paired with a national standards of Resident Rights and is illustrated by a picture depicting the "Resident Right." click here to purchase resident rights prints |
| THE ACTIVITY DIRECTOR for Activity Professionals in Long Term Care Settings admin@theactivitydirectorsoffice.com Copyright 2004-Present The Activity Director's Office All Rights Reserved Disclaimer |
| ACTIVITY DIRECTOR TODAY |
Home The Activity Director by Linda Lucas, AD Activity Ideas That Work The original website of Gina Salazar, AD Your Monthly Activity Planner A free resource of monthly activity nuggets to help plan your activities Debbie Hommel's AD Tips and Dear Debbie: by Debbie Hommel Executive Director DH Special Services Current Activities in Longterm Care Page by Kate Lynch, Editor of Current Activities in Longterm Care The Alternative Solutions Page by Sandra Stimson Executive Director Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care Silvana Clark's Insights by Silvana Clark, Professional speaker www.silvanaclark.com silvanac@msn.com Re-Creative Resources Page by Kimberly Grandal Executive Director Re-Creative Resources Heart & Soul Music Music Therapy Resource The NAAP Page National Association of Activity Professionals NAAP The NCCAP Page National Certification Council of Activity Professionals NCCAP Free PDF Downloads* Poems, Jokes & Such Resource Links * Adobe Acrobat software is required. Get it free at Adobe Acrobat Nursing Home Activities Defined Activity Professionals' Shopping Page Activity Director Today Providing Internet Resources for Activity Professionals in Long Term Care Settings admin@theactivitydirectorsoffice. com Copyright 2004-Present The Activity Director's Office All Rights Reserved Disclaimer |
| Sandra Stimson |
TimeSlips® Project- A Story Telling Project
By: Sandra Stimson CDP ADC CALA
National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners
www.nccdp.org
Activity professionals are challenged with searching, locating, designing and implementing
programs that best fit the needs of the dementia population residing in the long term care
setting or attending adult day care. One program that has proven to work effective with the
dementia population is reminiscing. Activity professionals for years have used all kinds of
props to invoke responses. Timeslips was developed in 1998 and shifts from reminisce to
encouraging residents to use their imagination and creativity. Both Timeslips and
traditional reminisce programs both have a place in the long term care setting.
“Developed by Anne Basting (PhD) in 1998, the TimeSlips® Project has generated
hundreds of stories that are used to produce plays and art exhibits, and to rekindle the hope
for human connection among people struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and related
dementia.”
“TimeSlips® marks a fundamental shift away from focusing on memory and reminiscence,
toward encouraging people with memory loss to exercise their imaginations and creativity. It
provides the building blocks for effective, person-centered care. The stories that emerge
capture the hopes, dreams, regrets, fears, humor, and desires of people with memory loss,
and help others better understand who they are.”
The Timeslips® program is easy to learn and cost effective to implement in the facility or
dementia unit. Traditionally, activity professionals have found interesting pictures and held
them up in front of a group or passed around a picture. Timeslips utilizes an overhead
projector and transparencies. Once the activity professional has located an interesting
black and white picture, the picture would be copied onto transparencies. Rather than
holding up a small 8 1 / 2 by 11 picture, the over head projector allows the activity
professional to transmit the picture onto a large screen or wall. This enables all residents to
clearly see the picture.
The Activity professional would prepare ahead, questions to elicit responses from the group.
Those answers would be written down. After or even during the program, the activity
assistant would assemble a story from the resident responses. For example, a picture of a
baby sitting in a kitchen sink filled with dishes is an excellent example of the type of picture
that would inspire their imaginations and provoke opinions and thoughts.
Often times, activity professionals are challenged in locating vintage pictures for this
program. There is a great web site to locate interesting pictures at Nostalgic Clip Art
Photography from 1900 to 1950. Vintage Classic Collection web site is http://www.tssphoto.
com/vint_hum/index.html
For those interested in taking the Timeslips class, can visit the web site to see the schedule
of classes. However, you do not need to take this class to begin this program. They do offer
a training video at http://www.ageandcommunity.org/products.html
This program has been implemented at many facilities with positive feed back. It’s a fun and
rewarding program for the activity assistant. For the resident, it is empowering, lifts their self
esteem, and brings joy.
“TimeSlips is a group storytelling technique that encourages people with memory loss to
exercise their imaginations and creativity.” Because of this, there is a bonding experience
with the group because all are using their imaginations and creativity. The great aspect
about this program, especially with clients who have limited words, is that it does not really
matter what correct or incorrect words they use. The point is to use their imaginations,
engage their emotions and thoughts.
Source: Timeslips Project http://www.timeslips.org/
By: Sandra Stimson CDP ADC CALA
National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners
www.nccdp.org
Activity professionals are challenged with searching, locating, designing and implementing
programs that best fit the needs of the dementia population residing in the long term care
setting or attending adult day care. One program that has proven to work effective with the
dementia population is reminiscing. Activity professionals for years have used all kinds of
props to invoke responses. Timeslips was developed in 1998 and shifts from reminisce to
encouraging residents to use their imagination and creativity. Both Timeslips and
traditional reminisce programs both have a place in the long term care setting.
“Developed by Anne Basting (PhD) in 1998, the TimeSlips® Project has generated
hundreds of stories that are used to produce plays and art exhibits, and to rekindle the hope
for human connection among people struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and related
dementia.”
“TimeSlips® marks a fundamental shift away from focusing on memory and reminiscence,
toward encouraging people with memory loss to exercise their imaginations and creativity. It
provides the building blocks for effective, person-centered care. The stories that emerge
capture the hopes, dreams, regrets, fears, humor, and desires of people with memory loss,
and help others better understand who they are.”
The Timeslips® program is easy to learn and cost effective to implement in the facility or
dementia unit. Traditionally, activity professionals have found interesting pictures and held
them up in front of a group or passed around a picture. Timeslips utilizes an overhead
projector and transparencies. Once the activity professional has located an interesting
black and white picture, the picture would be copied onto transparencies. Rather than
holding up a small 8 1 / 2 by 11 picture, the over head projector allows the activity
professional to transmit the picture onto a large screen or wall. This enables all residents to
clearly see the picture.
The Activity professional would prepare ahead, questions to elicit responses from the group.
Those answers would be written down. After or even during the program, the activity
assistant would assemble a story from the resident responses. For example, a picture of a
baby sitting in a kitchen sink filled with dishes is an excellent example of the type of picture
that would inspire their imaginations and provoke opinions and thoughts.
Often times, activity professionals are challenged in locating vintage pictures for this
program. There is a great web site to locate interesting pictures at Nostalgic Clip Art
Photography from 1900 to 1950. Vintage Classic Collection web site is http://www.tssphoto.
com/vint_hum/index.html
For those interested in taking the Timeslips class, can visit the web site to see the schedule
of classes. However, you do not need to take this class to begin this program. They do offer
a training video at http://www.ageandcommunity.org/products.html
This program has been implemented at many facilities with positive feed back. It’s a fun and
rewarding program for the activity assistant. For the resident, it is empowering, lifts their self
esteem, and brings joy.
“TimeSlips is a group storytelling technique that encourages people with memory loss to
exercise their imaginations and creativity.” Because of this, there is a bonding experience
with the group because all are using their imaginations and creativity. The great aspect
about this program, especially with clients who have limited words, is that it does not really
matter what correct or incorrect words they use. The point is to use their imaginations,
engage their emotions and thoughts.
Source: Timeslips Project http://www.timeslips.org/
| Find these pictures and more at Timeslips Project http://www.timeslips.org/ |
| We Are Activity Professionals We Are Activity Professionals! Big hearts, huge bright smiles and enormous compassion, Creative, innovative and dynamic personalities. We Are Activity Professionals! We don’t know how to say “no”! We aim to please at personal sacrifice. Long days, hectic schedule and stressful events. We love all of this! We Are Activity Professionals! Regulatory changes, tougher surveys and changing populations. As a group like no other, we evolve, learn and adapt. We are a tough group and can handle this like no other profession! We Are Activity Professionals! They say, “I could never do what you do” and you know what, They are right! “They, could never do all that you do!” We Are Activity Professionals! Phones ringing, many interruptions and endless demands. But we demand more of ourselves and ask for little in return. No one can handle all that we do in one day! We Are Activity Professionals! Humanity, compassion, humor and strong moral work ethics, We are the memory creators and the heart of every community. We are the photo albums filled with new memories! We Are Activity Professionals! By: Sandra Stimson, Executive Director Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care www.activitytherapy.com/ Used with Permission |