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American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias logoLink to American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
. 2003 Jul-Aug;18(4):215–226. doi: 10.1177/153331750301800405

Activity calendars for older adults with dementia: What you see is not what you get

Linda L Buettner 1, Suzanne Fitzsimmons 2
PMCID: PMC10833677  PMID: 12955786

Abstract

This paper reports on a two-part study of nursing home recreation. In part one, a retrospective activity calendar and chart review was used in this comparative study of 107 long-term care residents with dementia. Data were collected and documented regarding demographics, cognitive and physical functioning, medications, activities listed on facility activity calendars, leisure preferences, and actual involvement in recreation over a two-week consecutive period during baseline. In part two, this information was compared to opportunities offered during a two-week clinical trial of recreational therapy. The results showed that, during baseline, almost 45 percent of the subjects in the sample received little or no facility activities, 20 percent received occasional activities, and 12 percent received daily activities but they were deemed inappropriate based on the functioning levels or interests of the residents. The clinical trial period demonstrated that small group recreational therapy was successful in engaging residents 84 percent of the time.

Keywords: activity calendars, dementia, leisure preferences, recreational therapy, functioning

Full Text

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Contributor Information

Linda L. Buettner, Interdisciplinary Center for Positive Aging; College of Health Professions, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida.

Suzanne Fitzsimmons, College of Health Professions, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida.

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