Activity Professionals of Ontario (APO)

Note: Scroll down for the Activity of the Year Award nomination form.

Outstanding Activity of 2007

The winners of this year's Activity of the Year Award are Carrie Acton and Pamm Griffin of Muskoka Landing in Huntsville for their submission of their Summer Olympic Program.

Staff and Residents always look forward to the annual Summer Olympic Program at Muskoka Landing where the Activity room is decorated with Olympic torches and the five colours of the Olympic rings. The staff dress in sports apparel, trying so hard to look like Olympians. The participants get a good laugh because the staff looks more like Richard Simmons!

Individual and group competitions are featured aiming at stimulating the participants physically, mentally and socially throughout the days events through active games, sensory stimulation and cognitive trivia. Participants enjoy the friendly competition and the opportunity to showcase their unique abilities.

Each year the number of participants increase and the excitement for the events continue to grow.

On behalf of APO, congratulations Carrie and Pamm for a job well done!

Submitted by:
The Villa Care Centre
Anne Cascagnette
Life Enrichment Co-ordinator

Words from Anne Cascagnette:
“This wedding was like a fairytale come true. For many of our residents, they had a brief moment to forget their personal problems and walk through a time in sharing good wishes. A time for them to reflect on their past and the joy they shared with that special loved one. Through our couples luncheon, this marriage conversation happened to come up, snowballing to the other couples. One of the couples got down on his shaky knee and asked his wife if she would marry him again, the first thing you know I was planning a wedding for six couples.”

The Villa Care Centre celebrated 355 years of combined marital success with 6 special couples in style. For anyone who has had the pleasure of planning a wedding, they would know how the details of such an event are quite challenging. Imagine, 6 weddings taking place at the same time. Many of the comments received from couples prior to the wedding were, “When we were married, it was during or after the war and they were unable to have a proper celebration with family and friends.” Anniversaries are a very important part of any couples life. That is why Villa Care decided to make it a very special occasion.

The Wedding consisted of a beautiful ceremony held at 2:00 pm in the 1^st floor Dining area. A pianist and a vocalist provided the musical interlude while awaiting the Brides. The room was packed with co-residents, families, staff and volunteers. Flower girls wore coloured floral dresses and carried baskets of white rose peddles, setting the path for the Brides. The ring bearer had plans of his own: as the flower girls were throwing the peddles, the little ring bearer was picking them up and putting them in his pocket. A family member/friend were given the opportunity to give their mother/inlaw away. A Spiritual Advisor provided each Bride and Groom with their own unique set of vows. At the end of the ceremony, everyone was given a glass of punch to toast the couples’ new beginning and a marriage certificate was given to each couple for keeping.

Annually we seek innovative and creative program ideas to share with other members of your organization! We are soliciting submissions for the Outstanding Activity of the Year Award with the following criteria in mind:

PLEASE NOTE: The overall winner has the responsibility to chair the Activity Judging Committee of the following year. Last year's winner and members of the Judging Committee are not eligible to submit.

The Activity of the Year Award nomination form is available here for download as a PDF.

Points Awarded	Categories
1	Name of Program
1	Population Target -- Please identify cognitively impaired, high functioning, palliative, and their involvement in planning as well as participation.
3	Program Goals -- desired outcome of the program.
3	Program Procedure -- How was the program delivered to the program group
1	Length of Program
1	Frequency of Program -- i.e. Once a year, once a week
2	Facility -- what location was needed to successfully deliver the program
2	Equipment required
2	Volunteers and Staff Needed -- how many, and what were their duties (if multi-facility program, please inform other facilities of your submission)
2	Departmental Support Required -- was cooperation from other departments needed i.e. Dietary, Nursing, etc
3	Program Promotion -- i.e. Posters, cards, media, etc.
3	Program Evaluation -- please include number of sessions evaluated, average attendance, staff, family, volunteer observation, participants opinion and comments.
6	In your own words, please describe why you feel your program should receive the "Outstanding Activity of the Year Award". You may include creativity, origin, adaptive measures, use of resources, and cost saving measures use of resources, and cost saving measures.
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