trisher none of the residents I work with could ever be forced to 'join in' with activities, workshops etc. - as you say, they are very much able and willing to tell me where to go if they don't want to do something. What I have found though, is that if the activity is meaningful then it's the residents themselves who persuade their friends to come along and try things out. Some families are completely shocked when they find out that a relative has regularly been coming to my sessions, although I should say that my role is very much to engage with people as individuals; our activities co-ordinator does the organised games etc.
At the moment I'm working with several of the residents on their family histories. I started with two enthusiasts and now there are many more who are working on theirs. I always arrange for my house guests and visitors to go in for a Q&A session if they have interesting lives and often residents come along who otherwise barely show much interest in anything much. I also take in my dog and my grandchildren to visit. The local schoolchildren (of all ages) come in as groups and often get tongue tied so the cards are a brilliant way of encouraging conversation, but once connections have been made then conversation, especially with older teens, tends to flow without further need for the cards. Many of the residents are forgetful so value having a written prompt so they don't have to think of a question to ask.
Some of the residents are delighted to take part in any and all of the sessions I put on just because of the relationship they have with me, I'm a bit like a favourite niece to many of them and in return I am very fond of them.
Angela Rayner lashes out and calls Sunak “pint sized loser”.
Why Are Blokes Obsessed With Noisy Gadgets??
Elderly fellow gran has become loudly racist