Activities for February

February is often one of the coldest months of the year, and as activity coordinators, it’s a good idea to plan activities that help to keep us warm, says Jan Millward…

It’s easy to be creative when it comes to meaningful activities that keep us busy. A jolly morning together chopping vegetables for a warming soup can be a simple pleasure for all your residents.

Or, why not try a reminiscing session about how we used to heat our homes and beds. Talk about stone hot-water bottles, layers of blankets and eiderdowns as well as candlewick bedcovers. Have some different blankets for people to touch and hold too. Chat about laying the fire, using bellows and drawing the air in by holding a newspaper in front of the fire. Did anyone toast bread or muffins in front of the fire?

DIGNITY MONTH

1st February: Dignity in Action Day

Many homes will have a dignity champion, and this is the day to promote the importance of protecting everyone’s dignity. You can find plenty of activities below, or see some of the suggested plans online.

Organise a dignitea party. If visitors are allowed in, this could be a great social event. Get out the posh cups, if you have them!

Make a dignitree. Create leaves out of card or paper and encourage staff, visitors and residents to write what dignity means to them. Hang them on a branch or stick on a collage of a tree.

Laminate copies of The Ten Dignity Dos. Put up in staff rooms and public areas as little reminders. You can you can them find here.

Make friendship bracelets. This links in with both Valentine’s Day and Dignity Day. Find simple instructions here.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

5th February: Six Nations starts – A month-long rugby tournament. Print off the schedule, and see if any residents support a particular country. This is a great time to organise a pop-up pub with snacks and drinks.

9th February: National Pizza Day – Use shop-bought bases, or make your own and spread with tomato paste or pesto, then encourage your residents to add their favourite ingredients. Get them grating cheese and prepping the vegetables.

14th February: Valentine’s Day – Some care homes prefer to call it Friendship Day to avoid upsetting residents who may have lost a partner. Either way, there are many activities you could try. Maybe a poetry morning – come up with alternative verses to the Roses are Red rhyme, or do a spot of flower-arranging and ice biscuits to give as gifts.

17th February: Random Acts of Kindness Day – Why not invite residents to write notes to other residents or staff within the home? Or if you have any keen knitters, they could knit or crochet little hearts to hand out. Perhaps your residents could suggest a charity or organisation to donate something to – it might be donating some artwork to display in the local library, or some homemade cake for a Parent and Toddler Group nearby.

27th February: Elizabeth Taylor’s Birthday – Talk about her many husbands as well as her glittering career! Show one of her films, maybe Cleopatra or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Get the dressing-up box out too, and enjoy plenty of glittering jewels.