First Advisor

Krosky, Beverly

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Document Type

Thesis

Date Created

1978

Abstract

The following abstract is taken from the introductory paragraph of the thesis. Creative activities in nursing home care facilities for the elderly were started as an answer to the unmet needs of the residents of those facilties. Physical needs, such as food, shelter, and freedom from pain were, until that time, of main importance. Needs of love, identity, and self respect came only after the first were taken care of. Realizing this, nursing home administrators began to look for an answer to the ever-increasing boredom and apathy that seemed to be prevalent in their patients. It was at this time that the activity director came into being as a very vital part of the nursing homes' curriculum. The purpose of an activity director is to coordinate a balanced activity program for each resident that willful fill his needs, as a creative person and allow him to continually develop his self-esteem and sense of dignity through various projects he engages in. Creative activities should not be thought of as a way to kill time but as a means to develop the full creative potential of the individual. Craft activities require individual participation although assembly line crafts are quite successful with some groups. The emphasis in this type activity is primarily on the individual receiving pleasure and satisfaction in his own accomplishment. Sociability and fun are frequent by-products.

Extent

51 pages

Local Identifiers

Greenberg1978

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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