Warmer weather is upon us and it seems that the mild winter has lent itself to an early spring. Blooms are everywhere and although it may be chilly at night, it is delightful during the day — all the more reason to be outside.  So spring the kids away from TV and computers and into some fresh air and sunshine!

But for some of us, with the warmer weather comes allergies. If you are like many others, the blooms are beautiful but you look upon them with dread as your eyes itch…

New York City is famous for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and so is the VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center in Queens! Much like NYC, our center is very culturally diverse. We look forward to celebrating all cultures in creative ways, and our celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is no exception. In fact, we do so much celebrating, that it takes us a whole week to fit in all the activities!

We celebrate through a variety of therapeutic modalities, so as the seniors are having a blast, they’re also benefitting in a…

New babies and growing families is one of the fun parts to my job. I have worked in Pediatrics for25 years and have always found  great pleasure in teaching a new family how to safely care for that newborn. But something unusual is happening, more and more today. These bundles of joy are arriving earlier and earlier.

Why? Good question.

We know that babies born even as little as two weeks early are more likely to have history of respiratory illnesses and problems adjusting to this world. The simple act of feeding them effectively and safely…

What’s the key to engaging seniors in activities – the same as all other ages – do what THEY like to do! When activity planning, put on your audience’s hat and see things through their eyes. How do they see the world, what activities have they engaged in throughout their lives, what countries do they come from?

In our experience, when we plan through the eyes of seniors and encourage them to give us activity ideas, those are the activities that are the most fun and engaging for our members.

Ms. E.…

Obstacles are everywhere. As a parent we have to always be ahead of that young child, as they only see adventure and not danger. To any parent that has seen the look of awe as a toddler takes his first step-they are off and your life will never be the same. Many new parents are told to baby proof as soon as the baby comes home from the hospital but few do. ‘We have time for that-they say’. Well before you know time has arrived and coins are in the…

The VNSNY CHOICE Adult Day Center is a multicultural program serving seniors that speak English, Spanish, French Creole and Chinese. We strive to offer activities in our members’ native languages to help them feel comfortable, participate as much as possible and encourage socialization with peers. We offer these activities through staff and volunteers that speak a variety of languages, as well as through the help of translators.

Last month, Columbia Nursing Students interning at our center led health education for our Haitian seniors. Through the use of a translator, the nursing…

When you’re trying to encourage someone with dementia to participate in activities, take heart and keep trying. Don’t give up, because you never know what will spark their interest and abilities.

For an activity geared toward stimulating the senses, our Activities Coordinator put together a sampling of lotions with a variety of smells. As she led the activity, she noted that the seniors didn’t seem interested. They weren’t familiar with these ”spa” scents and although there was sensory stimulation, they couldn’t relate to it.

So, she decided to change the materials for the…

Photo: husin.sani

As we become over saturated in our electronic devices and busy lifestyles, the cost becomes more apparent. Not just the monetary costs (that I am always telling my kids about), but the cognitive cost. When I say that many children are confused today, do I mean uninformed or truly clueless? Let’s begin with computer and internet access 24/7! Yes, if the computer is in your child’s bedroom, it is 24/7.

NEW RULE: lights out means all electronics off. There bed is for sleeping, and they need adequate sleep to grow…

The film Steel Magnolias focuses on themes of friendship, love, suffering, illness, life and death. Within these themes the plot highlights the life, illness and dying process of a young woman played by Julia Roberts. Her mom is artfully portrayed by Sally Field. Toward the end of the film there is a heart-wrenching scene at a graveside. In it, the mom, played by Fields, is standing in silhouette, staring into the grave of her young daughter, who was newly married with an infant son. Needless to say, this is a difficult…

We’re always looking for new and fresh ways to get our seniors involved.   Many of our participants love art or are developing a new interest in art.     For people with functional impairments, although we’re located so close to New York City, it can be difficult to get there to enjoy all the cultural opportunities.

We were very lucky to connect with the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).   They have a wonderful program where they come to adult day centers and train staff on how to lead art related activities and discussions…