Before you plan any activities… Know your FACTs™

When it comes to planning activities in a care home, there’s often pressure to do more.

More sessions. More variety. More engagement.

But here’s something worth pausing over (hey, don't skim this! ☕)

Before you plan anything, you need to know who you are planning for.

Because without that, even the most beautifully planned activity can miss the mark.

That’s where my FACTs™ framework comes in.

It’s simple, practical, and rooted in something we all know deep down:

people are not a list of activities, they are a lifetime of experiences.

What is FACTs™?

FACTs™ helps you build a fuller, richer picture of each resident so that the activities you plan are:

• Person-centred

• Purposeful

• Meaningful

• And yes… still fun

  
  

It stands for:

• F – Family and Friends

• A – Activities (past and present)

• C – Care Plan

• T – This Is Me documents

Think of these as four doors. Behind each door is a deeper understanding of the person.

Let’s gently open each one.

F – Family and friends

When someone moves into a care home, they don’t (usually) leave their relationships behind.

Family and friends are often holding pieces of the story that you don’t yet know.

They can tell you:

• What really makes that person smile

• What they used to enjoy (and sometimes what they didn’t!)

• Little routines, habits, and quirks that matter

But here’s the important part…

👉 Always follow the resident’s lead.

Some people will welcome lots of involvement. Others may prefer more privacy.

Person-centred care isn’t about gathering information at all costs, it’s about respecting comfort, dignity, and choice.

When it’s done well, involving family and friends can:

• Ease transitions for new residents

• Help you build trust more quickly

• Create activities that feel familiar and reassuring

A – Activities (past and present)

This is where things often get really interesting.

We can’t assume that what someone can do now reflects what they love.

So ask:

• What did they enjoy doing before?

• Where did it take place?

• Who did they do it with?

• Was it part of a group, a routine, or something spontaneous?

You might discover:

• A love of a choir that no longer exists

• Weekly bingo at a local hall

• A gardening club that was once their pride and joy

And here’s where your role becomes powerful…

👉 You don’t have to recreate the exact activity, you can recreate the feeling.

That’s the magic.

It might be:

• Music instead of choir

• A small group game instead of a large hall

• A few pots and soil instead of a full garden

  
  

When you understand the why behind the activity, you can adapt the how.

C – Care plan

The care plan isn’t just a document to tick off.

It’s a goldmine of insight, if you take the time to really read it.

Inside, you’ll often find:

• Preferences

• Needs

• Communication styles

• Physical or cognitive considerations

• Goals for wellbeing

And this is where person-centred activity planning becomes truly meaningful.

👉 The care plan helps you adapt, not avoid, activities.

For example:

• Someone with limited mobility can still take part in baking (just in a different way)

• Someone with memory challenges can still enjoy familiar music or sensory experiences

The care plan helps you answer the question: “How can this work for them?”

T – This is me documents

If you only use one tool from FACTs™, let it be this one.

“These Is Me” documents give you a glimpse into:

• Life history

• Personality

• Routines

• Preferences

• Identity

And identity is everything.

Because a person is not just:

• A room number

• A wanderer

• A diagnosis

• Or a list of needs

They are:

• A parent

• A worker

• A hobbyist

• A storyteller

• A whole life lived

👉 When you use this information, activities stop being something to do and start becoming something that matters.

Bringing it all together

Each part of FACTs™ gives you a piece of the puzzle.

But it’s when you bring them together that something really special happens.

You start to see:

• Patterns

• Preferences

• Possibilities

And most importantly…

👉 You start to see the person, not just the resident.

Plan activities that are meaningful

I know time is tight.

I know paperwork can feel overwhelming.

And I know how easy it is to jump straight into planning the next activity.

But if there’s one thing I’d love you to take from this, it’s this: Slow down at the start.

Because when you invest time in understanding someone you save time later by:

• Planning activities that actually engage

• Reducing refusals

• Building stronger relationships

So next time you sit down with your planner, ask yourself: Do I have the FACTs™?

Because when you do you’re not just planning activities.

You’re creating moments of connection, identity, and joy.

You might be thinking…

“This is all really helpful - but what do I actually do with all this information once I’ve gathered it?”

That’s where my HELPS™ framework comes in.

While FACTs™ helps you collect the information, HELPS™ helps you make sense of it so you can turn it into meaningful, person-centred activities.

I’ll be sharing more about HELPS™ in my next blog.