Intro to MOJs

Last year I worked part-time in a retirement village in Sydney. In December all employees received an updated job description. This job description was a little different to others that I've seen. The aim was to focus not just on the duties required by staff but why our jobs exist.

The very first sentence under the outcomes column states that an effective employee:

"contribes to the emotional well being of the residents by 'tuning in' to their state of mind and helping them to find 'moments of joy' in their day."

At times I was a challenge to 'tune in' to the state of mind of residents with dementia. Sometimes they were confused, upset or angry without any clear reason. When 'being reasonable' failed I found that 'being caring' and often 'being a complete nutcase' with the residents worked. (The great thing was that I didn't have to try too hard to act like a loony!) Out of these encounters we would regularly see that residents found moments of joy (MOJs) in their day.

When I read my new job description last year I realised that I was already helping the residents to find MOJs. The next step was to help others to see them and celebrate them.

I want to keep celebrating MOJs however and wherever the come about. These things are often small but I figure it doesn't take much to make someone's day...(aww! cheesy but true!) Stayed tuned for some of my upcoming MOJs as they happen : )