Background: Lack of preferred activities, health-related issues, and facility limitations may prevent residents at the Home from actively engaging in personally meaningful activities. This presentation looks at how the Home develops varied and customized activities and programs that allow all residents to participate, by taking into account their physical and mental capacity and perceived obstacles in participating. It will also show how Home residents stand to benefit when a wider range of options becomes available, allowing them to have more autonomy over their daily routine, leading to better quality of life.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive study, done as part of a quality holistic care evaluation in the home, examines the directional relationships between increase in the number of quality activities and programmes available for residents and enhanced mental wellness in the home.
Results and Conclusions: The results of the initial investigation indicates that with an increase in the capacity of activities to 5 programmes and 7 major activities with 33 sub-activities introduced for residents to choose from weekly, there is greater ownership and participation from the recipients after 9 months of implementation. These activities include exercise, leisure, the Arts, religious and sport groups. The results are generated from a tracker sheet that the Nursing Department, in collaboration with Case Management Team, is collating on a monthly basis. The main recommendation is the continuous provision of all activities and programmes within the home. In analysing the outcome, it must be emphasized that a holistic approach is necessary as no specific program that can be singled out to fit the needs of the residents. A further recommendation is to build closer links with community partners to avail more resources which can be maximized for the benefit of these residents.
Biography: Wannee Mei Amurao RN obtained her BSc in nursing 1999 from RTRMS – Makati Medical Center, Philippines. She earned her master of education (Leadership and Management) in 2007 from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Australia. She has worked previously in her capacity as a dialysis nurse and was part of the clinical safety and risk management team at government restructured and private hospitals. She is currently the nursing manager at a home, serving more than 200 residents.
