Excellence as an Assisted Living Activities Director

Remember Seniors love to be outside in the communities

Assisted living activities director have come a long way since the days of Thursday night Bingo and The New Years’ Dance. It is now a basic expectation that the person holding this position is capable of coming up with various projects and entertainment that enrich the senior mind and keep the residents happy.
 
Working with the elderly is not an easy task, especially when you consider the varying personalities, illnesses, and mental states that can be present in a varying group of the elderly. Being able to work with such a diverse group of people is really truly a unique skill and one that should not be taken for granted.
 
Thursday night Bingo is still quite popular among residents of a nursing home and it should remain one of those classics on the list for all eternity. The majority of seniors really enjoy their Bingo games and it’s important to keep the entertainment that is valuable to them.
 
Quality outdoor time is becoming more desirable among seniors and their families alike. Provided that a body is healthy enough, outdoor projects keep a body and mind healthier than spending days and weeks on end inside a building. Beautiful weather combined with nature are a typical favorite among seniors, and something as simple as crafting birdfeeders and hanging them within easy view is a wonderful way for a small group to spend the afternoon. The individual in charge of the project has many things to consider in order for projects such as these to be successful and rewarding.
 
One thing to consider is that seniors tend to be colder than most people. Just because it feels like a beautiful day to us doesn’t mean that they are all going to agree that the weather is perfect. Outdoor activities must be carefully planned for warm days, appropriate attire and of course refraining from creating a project that keeps people outside for too long.
 
Some seniors are happy with crafts because it keeps their mind active while their bodies aren’t able to handle much physical activity. However able bodied seniors tend to appreciate some physical activity to keep their bodies in the reasonable condition they are in. This can be tricky when dealing with physical bodies that have a wide range of ability. Very few seniors are anxious to line up for a game of dodge ball.
 
The individual who can diffuse situations before they run out of control is worth at least twice what the average residential home employee brings home. There will be times when one or two individuals in a larger group of people simply aren’t interested in getting along and being nice. Most people do not want to end up in a nursing home or residential facility and thus they are entitled to the occasional bad day. They problem is that one senior who is having an off moment can bring down the whole group without half trying. A talented person can acknowledge the legitimate feelings of one individual while maintaining the overall good moods of the rest of the group.
 
This is different from stumbling on an actual issue. Just because a project is planned doesn’t mean the occasional sidetracking isn’t bound to happen. People in general have a habit of picking the oddest moments to bring resolvable but real issues to the table. A talented employee will be able to recognize the difference between complaining and problem solving and respond accordingly.
 
Elderly individuals that have health issues sometimes need the gentle nudge to get out of bed and remain and active participant in the world despite their life in a residential nursing facility. Nudging is appropriate but pushing a person beyond their limitations is far from reasonable especially when dealing with the health issues of the elderly. A project coordinator either has a very good intuition about these things or they eventually learn through trial and error.
 
A good, thoughtful, and respectful residential community project coordinator is a difficult find. When residential facilities find good ones, they don’t like to let them go and will make a reasonable attempt to pay them as much as they can, but never what they’re worth. The real payment comes from the respect and appreciation the residents hold for a good project coordinator. Outside of family visits, projects are truly the highlight of a senior’s day when he is coping with the world of residential nursing care.
 
There will be days when the most a project coordinator can rely on is the handout of grief that comes their way when the entire facility seems to be having issues. Then there will be those days where the project coordinator can leave the facility for the day having absolutely no doubt that they made a huge difference in the life of someone that day. The value of a top notch project coordinator in a residential facility is immeasurable to the people whose lives they touch.

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