5 steps to planning the most successful lifestyle program.

Find here 5 steps to planning the most successful lifestyle program.

1. Plan lifestyle program activities with the potential to be meaningful & provide enrichment to individuals

The key to planning starts with your residents and their interests in mind. Understanding your residents and their lives, likes and dislikes will give you a better understanding of what activities to plan. Through the use of Virtual Reality Therapy, you can incorporate many activities into a Successful Activity Programs that can include elements like:

• physical exercise such as walking, yoga, dancing, lightweight therapy
• sensory experiences such as planting a herb garden, aromatherapy, beauty therapy days, armchair travel depicting nature, landscapes, people, cities, and monuments.
• emotional and spiritual outlets such as guided meditations, story-telling groups, baby animal petting zoo, bird watching, watching & listening to classical music

2. Ensure your planned lifestyle activities focus on: 

• what they enjoy
• what makes them feel happy and content
• what sort of activities would make them feel included
• what activities could improve their self-esteem

Starting at step one and understanding your residents will make step 2 fall into place.

3. Include Lifestyle Activities that provoke memories & create resident engagement

Although there is no cure, it is possible to slow the progression of dementia. One way of doing this is by reminisce therapy deployed on the VR platform. Remembering past events (e.g. reading an old letter, looking at childhood photographs, videos of a  home town or environments familiar) can trigger positive memories and feelings, even if a resident can no longer speak. Provoking memories can lead to meaningful engagement between residents and staff as they begin to recall & share past life events.

4. Include group and individual activities in your programs

The balance of spending time together as a group is just as important as allowing residents to spend time by themselves engaged in their own personal activities. Group activities help residents feel connected to others and give them a sense of purpose. However, individual activities that spark an individual response is equally important to allow the resident their own time & space. One on One sessions with residents through the use of Virtual Reality enables residents their own time in  their own space to escape.

5. Consider activities that engage with the local community

Getting older can be isolating for many residents, especially with decreased mobility, but it’s healthy to remain engaged with the outside community. Activities can include family members participating in an activity with their loved one such as a trip to Paris deployed through virtual reality. Getting out on bus outings for groups is a wonderful activity, often an Activities Program can also include a volunteer taking an individual resident to their local church or bowling club so they may continue to do things they enjoy and value.