Arts and crafts encourage the use of both physical and mental abilities while offering patients a creative outlet. Popular activities in skilled nursing facilities include painting, jewelry design, greeting card design, working with jigsaw puzzles and scrap-booking.
In some cases, patients in skilled nursing facilities do not have family that visits them on a regular basis. This is always difficult, but it is even more difficult during holidays. Activities such as holiday-themed parties with food, music and even costumes can give patients something to look forward to, create a sense of family spirit and help to prevent loneliness.
Many service animal organizations offer animals that are trained to keep people company and provide assistance to them. Pets offer patients a sense of comfort, and visits with them can help battle loneliness. Interaction with animals and their trainers is beneficial to the animals as well.
Bingo gives patients something to look forward to while encouraging the use of the mind. Assigning jobs such as number caller or prize manager to patients gives them a sense of responsibility and importance. Combine bingo with arts and crafts to allow residents to create the prizes that will be given to winners.