
Pleasant Meadow
‘They’re coming, they’re enjoying it, and they’re looking forward to the next time’
A program launched in January is proving to be a successful tool for engaging the men living at Pleasant Meadow Manor.
Finding meaningful programming for male residents is often a challenge for long-term care home life enrichment departments. The gentlemen’s club, which is the brainchild of life enrichment aide Leslie Rogers, is solving that challenge.
Prior to the gentleman’s club, Rogers led a woodworking program. However, many of the men involved with the woodworking program are no longer at the home and there was a lack of interest among others to join, so she had to come up with a new idea.
Between six and 10 men living at the Norwood long-term care home have attended the past three sessions. Getting the guys to come has been easy, Rogers says. Before each session she posts a notice in front of the activity room that reads, “Welcome to the gentlemen’s club.”
Each 30-minute session begins with a meet-and-greet where everyone introduces themselves. Rogers then hosts a trivia game focused on areas of interest for the men. The sessions also have a discussion component. Rogers will initiate the discussions by bringing something to the program that interests the men, such as a toolkit.
The March session featured a guest speaker. The gentleman had lived in Norwood all his life, and he spoke about his experiences living in the town, following up with a question-and-answer session.
“They’re coming, they’re enjoying it, and they’re looking forward to the next time,” Rogers tells The OMNIway, adding the program is suitable for residents of all cognitive abilities. “I’m trying to make each program as interesting as possible to keep them hyped up about it.”
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