Page 35 - Play to Learn -- In the New Nursing Home Environment

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Get the Message
PURPOSE
To help participants understand how important good communication is to any process and that good communication is not always easy.
DESCRIPTION
With barriers imposed on their communication, participants will attempt to complete a task.
PARTICIPANTS 5 or more
TIME
10 minutes -5 for action, 5 for discussion
SUPPLIES
6 to 10 objects from kitchen, office, etc.
Steps:
• Put together two identical bunches of office supplies or common items found in the nursing home.
• Seat two people back to back, each of them at a table. Arrange the supplies on person A’s table without person B seeing what you are doing.
• Now, give the same supplies to the person B. Person A is to tell person B
how to arrange his or her supplies so that they are laid out the same way as person A’s supplies. They are to stay back to back. Person B may not talk. Person A may give a direction (For example: “Put the stapler, attached end on the left side, on top of the notebook.”) only once.
• After about five minutes of communication attempts, break in and process the activity. Ask the partners to look at the other table and comment. Ask each how they felt before the exercise and during the exercise. Ask the observers to share what they saw. Ask what was missing in this communication attempt.
Improve staff communcation
MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATION GAMES