This year’s theme for National Assisted Living Week (September 11-17) is “Keep Connected” through the use of technology. Throughout the week, consider altering a few of your regularly scheduled activities by adding in a bit of technology. Here are a few ideas from notjustbingo.com to consider:

Cultural: Use tablets as a way to educate bedridden residents about subjects of interest. For instance, show art history lovers a YouTube documentary about the Louvre Museum in Paris, or teach your resident how to play Sudoku online.

Social: Access online quizzes on your phone to host afternoon trivia contests for your residents. Divide residents into groups, like first floor vs. second floor or men vs. women, to add some competition into the mix!

Exercise: Get your residents moving by inviting the grandkids over to show your residents how to play Pokémon Go on their smartphones. If a walking game is not an option, host a morning Wii bowling competition in your Activity Room to get your residents warmed up for the day.

Music: Break out your karaoke machine as you host a Frank Sinatra or Doris Day singing contest among your residents. Also if you have a facility choir, schedule a performance to stream it live on your facility’s Facebook page.

Reminiscing: During a one-on-one activity with a resident, help your resident go online to learn more about their ancestors through an online ancestry website. Better yet, go on Google Maps to find and show your resident their childhood home.

Arts & Crafts: Use technology to teach your residents interesting art techniques. For instance, find a step-by-step YouTube video to show residents how to make origami objects. Hit pause when needed throughout the video to ensure that everyone is moving along at the same pace.

Educational: Host a fun photography class using your facility’s digital camera. Show residents how to take the perfect picture. Invite residents to bring their phones to the class so that you can show them how to take selfies! Everyone can have a good laugh after when viewing the photos.

Science: Appeal to your science lovers by using technology to conduct a science experiment, like making a Potato Clock. Consider inviting the grandkids to this activity for your residents to share their love of science with the little ones.

Sensory: As a one-on-one activity, invite your resident to use your computer to paint online on one of the coloring-page websites, like Super Coloring. Simply pull up a coloring page and show your resident how to use their mouse to paint the picture.

Spiritual: Tap into the live feeds of online religious services for your residents to “attend” in your Activity Room.

Special Event: Host a Tech Expo in your Activity Room where you invite your residents to bring all their technology related gadgets for you to help them figure out how to use them. Recruit volunteers for the event to pair up with residents.

Outings: Take residents to a local art museum where they can use their smartphones as guides to receive the audio tour of the museum. For your movie-lovers, take residents to see an IMAX film at a local theater.

Let us know your favorite activity for National Assisted Living Week!