Weeks and months can get long, especially in the winter. Donning some elegant or crazy outfits and dancing through the facility, greeting people, while bantering to each other can create a memorable afternoon for residents. There are two such costumes we have used periodically that are greatly enjoyed.
“The Party Crashers”
Pieces of clothing for these ladies were purchased at the secondhand store. Floppy hats, beads, boas, purses, and gloves add flair and produce topics for conversations. (The purses can also hold items of interest). The ladies may appear uninvited at a group activity such as bingo, coffee hour, shist, rhythm band, etc. and simply walk in, chatting about something “important”, like a lost pair of nylons. They stop to greet individual residents, maybe asking them about the lost socks, commenting on how nice they look and asking who does their hair. It is possible that one may ask a gentleman to hold her purse while she straightens her hat. One lady may ask the other for a Tums which sends the 2nd lady into her large purse. As she drags items out, looking for Tums, she hands each piece to a resident. Items that come out of the purse may include a very large pair of under pants, a bra, Pepto Bismol, room freshener, Dr. Scholls foot pads, denture cream, dentures, etc.. This is great fun and generates laughs that are remembered throughout the week.
