So, you’re an Activity Director? What is that?
“So, you’re an Activity Director? You get paid to play games and bake cookies, right? Sounds like a fun and super easy job; must be nice”! Oh, If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that over my career, I would be enjoying the sun and sand on a tropical beach right now… Over the years, I have tried to capture all the things I do as an activity director, but somehow, all those words were just never enough. I’ve tried to summarize a bit more of HOW what we do impacts those we serve.
As Activity Professionals, we implement an ongoing person-centered program that incorporates the residents’ interests, hobbies, and cultural preferences. In doing this, it creates opportunities for each resident to have a meaningful life by supporting their dimensions of wellness. Daily, we support residents to maximize their potential in activity participation through adaptation, cues, and prompts.
Offering residents opportunities for connections is an integral part of the resident engagement program. We assist the residents in maintaining contact and interaction with the local community to facilitate feelings of connectedness and involvement in life-long interests. This involves keeping residents and families connected through special events, open houses, newsletters, social media, and family engagement efforts. Introducing residents to peers with similar interests to facilitate relationship building and offering opportunities for residents to learn new skills is also a vital part of the resident engagement program. Keeping connected to the local community through outreach opportunities and utilization of community resources.
The resident engagement program is led by the Activity Director, Life Enrichment Director or possibly another title assigned by the employer, who is an activity professional dedicated to creating meaningful and purposeful resident connections and enrichment for the individuals entrusted in their care. This person enhances quality of life for residents through engagement in meaningful and purposeful activity opportunities. By doing this, it allows us to direct our care in a way that meets the preferences, interests, needs, abilities and wishes of the residents in our care. This person is responsible for ensuring that activity services meet or exceed the applicable state or local regulations along with the specific policies of the care community. The goal of the resident engagement program is not to keep the residents busy but rather to provide the residents with ample opportunities to live their lives to the fullest, as they wish to live it, no matter what their age or ability.
The resident engagement program is based on the assessment, development, implementation, documentation, and evaluation of the programs provided. In addition, the unique interests, physical, mental, and psychosocial needs of each individual served are the highest importance throughout the creation and implementation of all activity services.
Usually, once I have explained the intentional design of resident programs and the positive impact on a resident’s wellness they can have, people begin to see me and my work in a different light. My hope is that you see the amazing things that you do day in and day out, you too will see YOUR work in a different, impactful, necessary, and appreciated light.
Kim Mead NAAP Leadership Team
