Healthcare Training Institute - Quality Education since 1979

Section 19
Motivation to Do the Nonsensical

Table of Contents | NCCAP/NCTRC CE Booklet

Now let’s talk about how to motivate residents to do these rather nonsensical, non-productive activities, like Caps-in-a-Bowl and the Bank Exercise.  There are two standard approaches I use.  However, the options are endless and only limited by your creativity and your knowledge of your resident’s past motivation to become involved.

The “Hand Exercise” Motivational Approach
The first approach is to say, “This is a hand exercise that will help your hands.”  It’s much better that the resident is sitting in the lounge, for example, trying to manipulate a gallon milk bottle cap and moving their fingers, which increases blood supply and decreases stiffness, as opposed to sitting with their hands totally immobile.  Agree?

The “Game” Motivational Approach
A second way to present these nonsensical, non-productive activities to your residents is to say, “Here’s a game I would like for you to try” or “Here’s a game I would like for you to play.”   Your knowledge of your resident, and your own way of relating to a particular resident will determine exactly how you decide to introduce Success Therapy® activities to your resident with...DIGNITY.