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Would you like to work in a nursing home? Today I’ll tell you about a job that allows you to have fun and play games with the residents all day. It’s the activities department!
Don’t worry. I’m not being serious. Unfortunately, I’ve heard people make similar comments about the activities staff many times over the years. But in reality, working in the activities department involves a lot of hard work, and it comes with its own set of challenges.
Residents come to the nursing home with an enormous variety of backgrounds, belief systems, interests, preferences, and abilities. And it’s your job to come up with activities to help each unique resident experience the best life possible.
Despite the challenges, working in the activities department of a nursing home is often a very rewarding career. You’ll develop close relationships with the residents, and you can enjoy a lot of fun activities, too.
Today we’ll look at the work of an activities director. I hope this prompts you to consider this as a career option.
What is the role of an activities director?
Depending on the size of the nursing home, the activities director might be the only person in their department. Or they could supervise one or more activity assistants. They also often work with other professionals from specialty areas such as music, art, or pet therapy.
These are some of their responsibilities:
- Develop an individualized activity care plan for each resident
- Plan and oversee a wide variety of activity programs
- Help plan and host fundraisers
- Complete resident assessments
- Participate in care conferences
- Oversee volunteers
- Serve as a liaison at resident council meetings
- Manage the activity budget
- Order activity supplies
- Represent the activities department during state surveys
How do I become an activities director?
Job requirements vary depending on the state in which the nursing home is located. Each nursing home also sets its own qualifications.
Most activities directors hold a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy or a similar field. However, sometimes a person without a degree may get the job based on their experience.
Many activities directors also earn specialized certifications. This is most often done through the National Certification Council For Activity Professionals (NCCAP).
What characteristics does an activities director need?
- Compassion
- Creativity
- Enthusiasm
- Excellent communication skills
- Patience
- Good organizational skills
- Flexibility
- Supervisory skills
What did I miss? I know I have a lot of activities staff among my readers, and I would love to see your thoughts in the comment section!
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