Mountain Pacific Blog

Meet Heidi Caldwell, a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS) and the wellness director at Hale Ola Kino by Arcadia. Since the fall of 2020, Heidi has been drawing inspiration from her personal journey of caring for her father after a stroke. Witnessing the positive impact of recreation therapy on his recovery fueled her desire to bring joy and purpose to others.

In her role at Hale Ola Kino, Heidi finds reward in creating smiles among residents. She believes in the power of recreation therapy, emphasizing, “Physical therapy gives you back your strength. Occupational therapy gives you back your independence. Speech therapy gives you back your voice, and recreational therapy gives you back your passion!”

Heidi shared her insights into the significance of engagement for residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities:

• Create a well-rounded care environment with collaboration and consistency – Heidi's team employs the five domains (social, emotional, physical, cognitive and spiritual) and the assess, plan, implement and evaluate (APIE) process in planning activities.
• Become a surrogate family member – From holding hands to facilitating video calls, Heidi and her team stepped in to help comfort residents during the pandemic through emotional and social support.
• Keep your residents engaged with fun activities – Provide live entertainment, classic games like BINGO, or try something new like “drum fit,” where residents play simple drumming patterns on a large yoga ball with pool noodle “drumsticks” to lively music. Drum fit is a popular activity among Hale Ola Kino residents and has become a weekly staple.
• Create a festive atmosphere for residents and their loved ones – Holiday activities can include craft corners, game areas and outdoor spaces.
• Ask residents about their cultural backgrounds, customs and traditions – Tapping into residents’ heritages ensures a rich, inclusive program in daily activities and holiday celebrations.
• Keep residents active during the cold weather months – Heidi and her team keep their residents moving with indoor morning stretches, chair dancing, yoga and tai chi. When residents are relaxing, comfort measures include lap blankets, layered clothing and adjusted seating for warmth.
• Engage residents during infection outbreaks – When COVID-19 or another infection requires staff to modify group activities, keep residents engaged while complying with safety protocols. Examples include room visits or outdoor sessions during the warmer months.

In measuring effectiveness, Heidi prioritizes her residents’ smiles and feedback, whether through direct inquiries or monthly resident council meetings. Resident council meetings also contribute to unique ideas and suggestions, creating a critical sense of ownership among residents. As Hale Ola Kino continues its commitment to resident-centered care, Heidi's passion and dedication shine through, ensuring each day is filled with purpose and meaningful connections for her facility’s residents.

We look forward to sharing more activity ideas and tips in the future. If you work at a long-term care facility and have resident engagement ideas you would like to share with other nursing homes, we invite you to connect with us. Email Marcy Gallagher at mgallagher@mpqqhf.org or reach out through our Contact Us page on our website at https://www.mpqhf.org/contact-us/. Stay tuned for more inspiration and collaboration.

This material was prepared by Mountain Pacific, a Medicare Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO), under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of CMS or HHS, and any reference to a specific product or entity herein does not constitute endorsement of that product or entity by CMS or HHS. 12SOW-MPQHF-AS-CC-12/13-369