“You get a line, I’ll get a pole.”
The creativity of Trinity Place’s Life Enrichment Team and its enthusiasm for making sure residents live an abundant life paid off recently when they were named runner-up in an international contest.
The International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, a global leader in dementia education and certification, reached out to activity professionals and recreation therapists with a cart contest after seeing social media posts around the world sharing ways they’ve kept spirits up while crafting fun, socially-distanced activities. The contest offered a cash reward and had a goal to capture “what is going on in the nursing homes, assisted living communities, hospitals, and adult day care centers and the challenges that Recreation Therapists and Activity Professionals face in the delivery of service.”
It should come as no surprise that Trinity Place’s Hall Hoppin’ Heroes, who have consistently kept residents entertained since March with high-energy activities and fun costumes, stepped up to the plate to come up with a prize-winning fishing cart.
“As a Life Enrichment group, we usually take a group of residents out to a pond and we enjoy a day of fishing. Since we were under these restrictions and residents could not have this opportunity; we thought of how we could bring the pond to them,” Cora Ingle, life enrichment director at the Albemarle senior care community, said. “Fishing is a pastime that triggers memories and allows them to feel as though they are a part of the big world outside. Also with the live fish this enables all levels of dementia to enjoy the fish from their baseline.”
The fishing cart was a great success. It brought smiles to everyone’s faces and was a great time to relax and reminisce. It was also profitable, since they won a $100 gift card for being named runner-up out of 250 entries in the contest.
“Together we try to find something way outside the box and bring it into these four walls to share with our staff and residents. Anyone who knows me, knows I live outside the box all the time,” Ingle said. “Each week we continue to think up the next Hall Hoppin’ Hero stunts and this contest fit right into the mix. We are appreciative of the opportunity that we were given to show our passion and love for our residents and job.”
