Think skilled nursing facilities only focus on taking care of the basic medical needs of residents? Think again. Activities Directors are employees in skilled nursing facilities who work to address the mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and intellectual well-being of the residents. Keep reading to find out more about what the role of an Activities Director of a skilled nursing facility is.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What the responsibilities of an Activities Director are
- A day in the life of an Activities Director
- How the role benefits our residents
In order to learn more about this role, I decided to sit down and interview the Activities Director at our Orchard Park facility, Huntlie Mower, to learn more about what she does. Read on to see what makes this role so crucial to the happiness and well-being of the residents.
What Falls Under the Responsibilities of the Activities Director?
When thinking of patient rehabilitation, we naturally think of the roles of the Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist in their recovery. We also think of the CNAs who work tirelessly to meet what could be considered the basic needs of the residents, such as eating, bathing, dressing, and taking vital signs. The role of Activities Director is different. Activities Directors plan activities and events for residents to participate in that aid in their recovery and help to increase their happiness and well-being. The activities’ purpose is to help them to learn and grow in new ways. To sum it up, the Activities Director’s main responsibility is to improve the mood and morale of each resident during their stay at the facility.
A Day in the Life Snapshot
Huntlie was willing to share a peek into what her day-to-day routine looks like on the job.
She starts each day by walking around the whole facility and saying good morning to all the residents who are awake. After that, she begins to set up for the first activity of the day. When planning resident activities, she considers the needs of the residents who have varying interests and abilities. The goal is for everyone to feel included, so she figures out ways to tailor the activities so everyone can be involved. Once the activity is set up, Huntlie invites all the residents to the activity. For residents who are unable to attend due to being bed-ridden, Huntlie brings a one-on-one variation of the activity to with them so they’re able to participate. During times when COVID-19 precautions are in place, all activities held in the facilities are one-on-one. Some examples include: playing games, organizing their room with them, or painting their nails.
Not Just an Event Planner
Activities Directors have more responsibilities than you might think. On weekdays, there are usually four activities per day. On weekends, there are typically two-three activities per day carried out by the Activity Director’s assistant. Activities Directors interact with each resident almost every day and are required to track the well-being of each patient. Huntlie shared: “I write everything down and have to chart things, keep up with resident progress and health, and help residents make goals.” They work jointly with the Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists about once a month to plan an activity. There are also Federal and State requirements that must be met, such as planning and executing a new activity each month that has never been done at the facility before.
On top of these responsibilities, Activities Directors often assist in other areas of the facility as well. They may help the laundry team fold laundry or assist the kitchen employees when extra hands are necessary. They work to develop strong relationships with the other employees in the facility so they can help keep up the morale of the staff and residents within the building. One example of this is when Huntlie learned that the Medical Records employee in her building had a dog, she was able to arrange for a pet therapy day. The employee brought her dog in to the facility and the residents had the opportunity to meet both her and her dog.
Takeaways
The role of the Activities Director is critical to the overall well-being of the residents at skilled nursing facilities. The role is challenging, yet rewarding. Activities Directors make a difference. They help make the residents happy and experience firsthand the successes of the residents as they progress through their rehabilitation process.
How Can I Be Involved?
Each Cascades facility has their own Facebook page where Activities Directors often post pictures and details of the activities they host for residents. Please like and follow the Facebook page of the facility your loved one is staying at for updates on the activities they are participating in. The name of each facility’s Facebook page is below:
- Cascades at Galveston
- Cascades at Jacinto
- Cascades at Port Arthur, Skilled Nursing Facility
- Cascades at Senior Rehab
- Desert View Care Center
- Four Corners Regional Care Center
- Lincoln Care Center
- Meadow Brook Rehab and Nursing
- Mini-Cassia Care Center
- Mt Olympus Rehabilitation
- Oak Creek Rehabilitation
- Parkdale Health and Rehab
- Pine Creek Rehab and Nursing
- Red Cliffs Health and Rehab
- Sandy Health and Rehab
- South Ogden Post-Acute
- Spring Creek Healthcare Center
- Sunny Ridge, Skilled Nursing Facility
- The Cascades at Orchard Park
- The Cascades at Riverwalk
The Many Roles in Our Facilities
Each role in a skilled nursing facility exists for a reason. One thing is for sure, each of these roles are crucial and they all fit together to help our residents recover and feel cared for throughout the duration of their stay. Please follow this blog series as I dive into each of the roles that exist in our facilities so you can learn more about how our employees positively impact the lives of our residents!