MDS Alert

Activities Tip:

Enchant Your Cognitively Impaired Residents With The Right Children's Books

CMS Webcast offers a key suggestion for meeting residents' needs.

CMS has traded the verbiage "age-appropriate" activities for "person-appropriate" activities for residents. You have to consider the person's unique preferences and not just his age when selecting activities.

And children's books written at a 5, 6 and 7 year age level may work well for people in the mid stages of dementia, according to a recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Webcast for surveyors and providers on revised survey guidance for activities.

In particular, consider using books that discuss non-childish topics or include beautiful art or photos, suggested Susan Harris, a certified activities director, in a presentation during the Webcast. Harris said she's learned that if the resident doesn't enjoy the books, he or she will push them away.

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