Keep Them Smiling – Aged Care Activities (PDF)
$20.00 inc. GST
A large print reminiscence activity manual with craft activities suited to group and individual sessions in residential aged care. Written by an experienced lifestyle coordinators, it covers old favourites alongside original ideas, with easier options included for participants who need a more supported approach.
This large print craft activity manual is written for aged care activity staff
Keep Them Smiling is a large print collection of craft activities from the first book in Jen Gardiner’s ten-part series. Jen Gardiner is a lifestyle coordinator with many years of experience, and the series is written specifically for activity staff running sessions in aged care facilities and respite groups.
What’s included
The manual brings together old favourite craft ideas alongside new original activities, with options suited to a range of ability levels:
- Familiar and original craft activities for group sessions
- Easier, achievable crafts for participants living with dementia or other age-related challenges
- Content suited to both residential aged care and respite settings
How to use this resource
Activity staff can select crafts based on the group’s ability level and work through the steps with participants. The range of difficulty levels means one manual can support varied groups without needing additional resources.
- Group craft session: Choose one activity from the manual and run it as a structured group session, using the step-by-step format to guide participants through the craft together.
- Ability-matched activities: Select from the easier craft options for participants who need a more supported approach, allowing everyone in a mixed-ability group to take part.
- Reminiscence through making: Use familiar craft activities as a starting point for conversation about past hobbies, home life, or seasonal traditions while participants work.
- Respite group programming: Draw on the manual to fill a recurring craft slot in a day program or respite group schedule, rotating through activities across sessions.
- One-to-one engagement: Use a single activity with an individual resident as a focused, hands-on engagement option during quieter periods.
- Format: PDF, emailed directly after purchase
- Page count: 193 pages
- Print size: Large print
- Series: Book one of the ten-part Keep Them Smiling series by Jen Gardiner
- Printing: Buyer prints at home or at a facility printer after receiving the PDF
