In addition to meeting primary needs, respecting dignity and privacy and caring for people using care services, care facilities and staff must also ensure their users have the best quality of life possible. A huge part of this, but one that is often overlooked, is a varied and stimulating schedule of activities.
There are many benefits to planning activities for care home residents, such as improving wellbeing, health and quality of life. However, not just any programme of activities will suffice. The National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People (NAPA) firmly believes that activities should match up with individual’s interests, background and abilities.
To deliver a programme of activities to meet the needs of many residents at once, a trained and committed activities coordinator is required. Care staff with many other duties and responsibilities cannot be expected to plan activities to the required level, so a role should be created within care environments for an activities coordinator. The person to fill this role should ideally undergo a specialised care training course for activities coordinators, where they will develop their skills and deepen their understanding of activities planning for care environments.