Tuesday, September 26, 2006

October MIMA Moment

Sharing a MIMA Moment

Sharing your candy is the first step to a wonderful friendship

What are some things that make you feel good when you share?

ActivityDirector Column by MIMA

Activity Director Newsletter: Introduction to Section
This is our newest edition to this newsletter and our store. Cindy O'Neill of MIMA Publications has written a wonderful book called Mothball In My Attic and has agreed to allow us to carry it in our store. In addition to this, she has graciously offered to provide a short excerpt from the book to be included in this newsletter on a monthly basis. We feel that you will find her column to be useful for incorporating into your activity calendar. It is especially beneficial for Alzheimer's and dementia residents.
Words From the Author:
"This is a nostalgic book that contains fill in the blank ONE word answers that bring you back to your childhood. One word leads you to a myriad of feelings and sensations and conversation. I originally wrote this book for baby boomers and it is very successful in that venue. Along the way Mothballs In My Attic took a turn towards the medical field. I have sold to the medical field in various instances in over 40 states and Canada and Australia. I'm on several websites including my own selling the book. I'm on an activity planner’s website, a dementia website, and an Australian therapeutic recreation website and the therapeutic recreation website in the United States. Creative Forecasting, the premier magazine, has published a review for Professional Activity Planners. I will have a monthly column in the 2006 Creative Forecasting magazine. I have been reviewed in the Assisted Living Executive magazine published by the Assisted Living Federation of America and will have an article about reminiscing in the publication Vantage issued by the Alzheimer’s Foundation. I also have been reviewed in the August 2005 issue of Senior Focus publication published by the National Council on the Aging from their corporate headquarters in Washington DC."
-Cindy O'Neill, Author of Mothballs In My Attic
This wonderful book can be found at http://www.activitydirector.net/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=91

October
Directions: Use the column below to stimulate conversation and memory jogging. You can take parts of the fill in the blank sentences and expand on each question, example- Favorite Halloween candy? Expand by asking where did you buy your candy, where did you keep candy in your house, how much did you pay for candy, etc. Develop activities for your group or individuals to stimulate conversation with the paragraph below, ask what they did for Halloween, did they sew their own costumes, did they go out at night, etc. Engage conversation with the MIMA Moment and have groups share their answers. The column is what you make it and it allows you to design questions and programs to fit your needs. It’s amazing the myriad of sensations, visual stimulation and memory conversation leads to. Have fun with it! October Column: It takes the whole month but the anticipation grows. What to dress up as, where to go in the neighborhood and what route to take. Halloween day is always special to the little ones and grown-ups alike.. We prepare and have parties and send the goblins out to collect their loot. Whether it is Cinderella or a monster, each would collect their candy in all sorts of containers including pillowcases, plastic pumpkins or satchels. We were all happy and carefree. It was a challenge to pick the best route to maximize the most houses in a short amount of time. Of course you always ran into that house where the treat giver would want a trick. That always put us into a tailspin. We had a lot of ground to cover and although appreciate of the treat, we would warn others along the path which house to avoid. Like wise we always knew what house gave out the full size BIG candy bar and we’d shout it out to others along the way. The master plan was to trick or treat at that house in the daytime and then return at night hoping the treat giver would not take notice. It was always worth a shot. When curfew was called we would separate all the candy and categorize it and stack it into neat piles. We would compare it with others and some swapping and negotiating was in order. It was a magical time when people had their doors open and life was simple.Let the mothballs refresh your memory, enter your attic and open your trunk and see what comes forward with a step back to a day in October…Activity: Reflect back in October, remembering Fall leaves, brisk weather and trick or treating * Collect different color leaves on your walk Activity: Fill in the blanks with just one word and see how the memories flood back. Take your time, this is not to be rushed but rather enjoyed. Remember all the feelings and visual sensations and see where your mind travels.

My favorite Halloween candy was ___________________________________.
Cool air and leaves burning smelled like ______________________________.
We would put our carved pumpkin on the ____________________________.