Frequently Asked Questions

What is the F-tag?   

While federal regulations for activity staff and activity programming have not changed, the new interpretive guidelines, issued by CMS in 2006, layout for nursing home surveyors, in detail never before provided, how programming should be conducted. Under these new interpretive guidelines, many activities “programs” and activity supplies were either specifically mentioned or inferred. While all the products in Senior Activities can be used to meet federal F-tag regulations and interpretive guidelines for activity programming depending on the residents’ interests and abilities, we have indicated products that are either specifically mentioned or inferred by the guidelines.

Examples

Kit Kart - Mentioned throughout the new federal interpretive guidelines are individualized activities, one-on-one activities, and general-staff-conducted programs when needed, such as during nights, holidays, evenings, or when the activities staff is unavailable. The Kit Kart is ideal for meeting these needs because each kit provides a variety of items related to a theme and a sheet of suggestions for activities to conduct either one-on-one or in small groups. Anyone can grab a kit and conduct an activity.

Nasco and Bingo - Bingo has long been a favorite activity of our residents. Under the new federal guidelines, we are prompted to provide our activities to the residents’ capabilities, as well as their interests. Nasco has provided a variety of bingo supplies to allow you to accommodate the needs of your residents. Nasco’s Laminated Bingo Card Sets and Easy-Read Fingertip Slide Bingo Cards, Nasco’s Large Deck Bingo Calling Cards, and the Wall Chart Bingo Masterboard all have large, bold numbers to assist residents with visual or hearing deficits to play with less assistance. Variations on the game itself, including 4-Suit Bingo, Nasco’s All Color Bingo, Numbers Bingo, and EZ Play Bingo, allow those with cognitive needs to play simple bingo games when the original becomes too challenging.

Puzzles - Earlier in their lives, many of your residents enjoyed putting together jigsaw puzzles. However, due to cognitive or physical challenges, the standard 1,000 piece puzzle with small cardboard pieces and complex picture is no longer a successful activity. We offer a variety of puzzles, both wooden and cardboard, to accommodate their current abilities. We list the puzzle piece size and piece count to help you determine which puzzles will work best. NOTE: “Floor” puzzles are usually large puzzles with large, easy-to-manipulate pieces. These puzzles can be assembled on a tabletop. Check their dimensions to determine the size table you will need to provide.

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What products do you have and recommend for people with Alzheimer’s?

This is always a difficult question to answer because every product in the Nasco Senior Activities Catalog is appropriate for persons with Alzheimer’s, it just depends on the stage that they are at in the disease process and their interests and life patterns. Most often when this question is asked the person is referring to a person in late middle-stages or later stages of the disease process. This narrows the parameters some. We do offer a variety of items in our Alzheimer’s section of the catalog. These are geared for the person in later stages of the disease. Products can be selected according to interests and current capabilities. Our Cross Creek line of dementia products is exclusive to Nasco (Pounding Board - SN00581C, Activity Apron - 9712387C, Activity Pillow - 9712388C, Men’s Activity Pillow - 9714661C).

The “Tubs of Fun” feature individual products carefully selected to help you relieve boredom or divert disruptive behaviors with minimum staff supervision. All three tubs were updated in 2007 and include: Low Functioning Tub - 9715652C, Moderate Functioning Tub - 9715653C, Intervention Tub - 9715654C.

Our Activity Carts will give you a huge supply of manipulatives to select from and present to you dementia residents, and you are sure to find many items that will appeal to each person in these stages that you work with. (Basic Activity Carts - 9710221C, Deluxe Activity Carts - 9710222C).

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I know that Nasco carries many art and craft products, but I can’t find them in the Senior Activities Catalog; where can I find them?

Nasco has an extensive Arts & Crafts Catalog with over 12,000 items and you will find a much broader arts and crafts offering in this catalog. In the Senior Activities Catalog we tend to carry items which might not be found in this very large catalog because they appeal more to the unique senior market. To order Art and Crafts CLICK HERE.

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If I buy 2 sets of Nasco Laminated Bingo Cards(9715945C), will both sets have identical cards with the same numbers?

Yes,  if you wish to order two sets with different numbers on the cards, you will need to order one set of 9715945C and one set of SN01249C-Nasco Laminated Bingo Cards, Set 2. (Nasco Laminated Bingo Cards Set 1 - 9715945C, Nasco Laminated Bingo Cards Set 2 - SN01249C).

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I would like to order big calling cards but I am not sure how to use them. How are they used?

Our Large Deck Laminated Bingo Calling Cards(SN01247C) can be used in a couple of ways. The first way is to shuffle the deck of cards, draw a card, and then read the number, rather than using a bingo cage and balls. The advantage of using these large cards is, in addition to calling out the number, you can hold up, or prominently display the number, so players can view the number as well as hear it. This can be a real advantage for those with hearing problems or those with cognitive disabilities. The disadvantage to this method is that, because of the large size of these cards, they may be cumbersome to shuffle. The second way to use the cards is to use your standard bingo cage and balls to select the bingo numbers but then use the large deck of calling cards to show the group the number that has been called. You may even wish to display the numbers so those playing can look up to see which numbers were previously called. In this way the cards replace the Masterboard.
(Large Deck Laminated Bingo Calling Cards - SN01247C).

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I have one of the Fan Diffusers (9718356C), but can I use any essential oil in this diffuser?

Yes, you can use any essential oil on the pads in this diffuser; however, remember if you attempt to use oils that are not essential oils their potency may not be sufficient to diffuse properly into the room.  Another thing to remember about essential oils is that each fragrance will have a different effect on those smelling them. Peppermint will have a very different effect than lavender. Choose the oils carefully.
Essential oils we presently carry are: Fan Diffusers - 9718356C, Lavendar - 9718328C, Vanilla - 9718329C, Peppermint - 9718330C, Stress Relief - 9718332C.

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You sell “Floor Puzzles” in your Senior Catalog. Our residents aren’t going to get down on the floor to put a puzzle together! Why would you list these in your catalog?

We list these puzzles because Floor Puzzles have very large pieces and small piece counts. These puzzles can easily be assembled on banquet-length tables. Because of the size of their pieces they are much easier for persons with poor eye sight and fingers that have difficulty manipulating and assembling the standard-size pieces. Check out these Floor Puzzles: Bug Very Large Piece Puzzle - SN01868C, Pets Floor Puzzle - SB38622C, Our Solar System Floor Puzzle - SB20913C.

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