Recently, The Gardens Senior Living & Memory Care Community in Statesboro, Georgia, was thrilled to be entertained by Bridge Hospice of Pooler, Georgia, and their Community Liaison, Jackie Cox, with a fun and engaging activity called the "Human Slot Machine."
This lively event brought smiles and excitement, offering a unique, casino-style experience that had everyone on their feet and ready for a good time!
"We know residents love BINGO, so this is a new idea in the spirit of BINGO that brings new energy and engagement to the group, keeps us current, and brings new, fresh ideas," Cox said. "Our goal was to bring residents together to celebrate, have fun, and fellowship, and to offer something new. Bridge Hospice supplied everything, and The Gardens were 1 of the 3 inside the ‘Human Slot’ machine."
"The [goal of the] ‘Human Slot Machine’ is to encourage the residents to interact, socialize, and simply laugh out loud. We want to generate excitement. This game has a surprise piece of WINNING, and it’s an easy concept of matching 3 ‘like' items,” said Cindy Carter, The Gardens' Activity Coordinator. “Laughter in a group setting motivates the residents to engage with each other even after the game ends and participate in other activities and feel that he or she belongs. We have a lot of new residents, and I want each one to feel special in some way."
How it works: Residents are given 5 gold coins to play. Each resident stepped up, dropped a coin in the 'machine,' and hit the button to start. Inside the machine, three people (volunteers included Cox; Natasha Shaw, LPN, Bridge Hospice; Carter; and Jordan Sears, The Gardens Executive Director) roll their arms until the buzzer stops, then they reach inside a bucket and pull out an orange, apple, or banana randomly.
If all three pull the same fruit, the residents WIN coins they can use to buy prizes.
A huge thank you to Bridge Hospice and Jackie Cox for making this event a hit! The “Human Slot Machine” had everyone cheering, laughing, and enjoying a one-of-a-kind casino experience, making a memorable and fun-filled day at The Gardens!
