By Steve Moran
I belong to several Facebook groups that are focused on life enrichment/activities for senior living communities.
A few weeks ago, an activities director posted this picture of a “Bored Board” she created for residents who are bored.
When I saw it I thought this is so cool, absolutely amazing.
Then I started reading the comments and I wanted to cry and rage. Check this out:
“I want to make one of these but I think our infection prevention nurse won’t approve.”
“The fire safety people made me rip all of my displays down. I had a bored board, and a memory display, and a words of wisdom display. The residents loved them, but I had to pull it all down, which just ruined them. Apparently, it’s not safe to have them on the walls.”
“I’m surprised you can have this with COVID, as multiple people would be touching the folders . . .”
“I had one in my facility and was told by State to take it down because of ‘Infection Control.’”
“I had one of these; the CEO of the company visited and made me take it down because apparently, it’s my job to make sure they aren’t bored ?♀️?.”
What’s Most Important?
There were just a handful of these discouraging comments and many more positive ones. But how could anyone think this is a bad idea? HOW COULD A CEO think this was a bad idea?
While I get that no one wants to get in trouble with regulators or get sued by anyone (or make the CEO mad), this idea that “the rules” and caution are more important than the quality of life for residents is completely insane.
It is wrong, it is immoral.
We need to ask what our priorities are. What worries me a lot, is that too often, senior living leaders are concerned about the wrong things.
Though I suspect rarely, if ever, is that true about Senior Living Foresight readers.
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