The activity director in a senior living community has one big responsibility: enhancing residents’ quality of life. As the person hired to promote physical, social, and emotional well-being in older adults, you are involved in nearly every resident event. Your role demands responsible time management to balance the many tasks involved in the job.
Activity directors have a long list of responsibilities, from building relationships with residents and other staff to planning and executing an activity calendar that caters to a wide range of abilities and interests. To provide the best possible experience for activity participants, you need to know strategies and techniques that help you make the most of every moment. We’ve gathered some helpful tips to help you optimize your time and offer effective, memorable experiences for older adults.
Tip #1: Know Your Residents
Ideally, you should personally know each and every resident of your community. Talk to them about their abilities, interests, and preferences. Ask what they like to do with family and friends, learn about their hobbies, and discover the titles of the books they’re reading and the shows they’re watching. This knowledge is essential for your activity planning. Knowing the older adults personally helps you ensure that each activity you offer is tailored to their interests and curiosities. This is a great way to ensure participation and enjoyment!
Tip #2: Embrace Variety
While “variety is the spice of life” is a cliche, it’s also true, particularly for activity programming. Make sure the activity calendar is filled with many different kinds of opportunities, from physical activities to educational sessions, creative workshops, game playing, and social events. This helps ensure that every adult finds something they like, and also encourages them to try new things. You can save even more time by finding resources that are made specifically for older adults, so you don’t have to create your own material. For example, News Currents Sr. is a weekly publication on current events written explicitly for older adults. It features discussion questions, images, articles, and brain puzzles that older adults love.
Tip #3: Create a Schedule
A schedule is essential to effective time management. Break down time in a way that makes sense for you and your community: in daily one-hour blocks, in “morning” and “afternoon” segments, or in weeks and months. However you do it, make sure the activities you plan can be completed within the allocated amount of time. No one likes to feel rushed to finish a craft!
Tip #4: Build a Culture of Lifelong Learning
Just because you’re not working in a formal school setting doesn’t mean that learning stops. Offer classes, workshops, and seminars that are intellectually stimulating and provide a sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s learning some foundational vocabulary in a new language, making a craft, or acquiring a new tech skill, learning opportunities feel fun and fulfilling. Both you and the residents will feel that their time learning is time well spent.
Tip #5: Delegate Tasks
While only you can be responsible for certain tasks, others can be delegated to other staff, volunteers, or even residents themselves. Things like setting up chairs, preparing arts and crafts materials, and connecting technology can all be outsourced to helpers. Make sure you give them clear instructions on what you need them to do and check in with them at least once while they’re doing it.
Tip #6: Foster Social Connections
Activities are ideal opportunities for older adults to interact and connect. Plan activities that require teamwork or collaboration. You can also celebrate individual birthdays, anniversaries, and other dates that are special to residents. These kinds of activities don’t require much pre-planning or many resources but contribute to a sense of community and well-being. Low-investment, high-reward programming is an activity director’s best friend!
Tip #7: Use Technology
Technology is one of the best time-savers around. It can help you streamline administrative tasks, send helpful reminders from your to-do list, provide templates for calendars and posters, and so much more. You can also use technology in your programming to bring virtual reality experiences and interactive games to your residents. With technology, you can go on an international trip, ride a roller coaster, or visit the zoo–and your residents don’t have to get out of their seats!
Tip #8: Seek Feedback
Regularly gather feedback from residents to understand what they’re enjoying, what they wish there was more of, and what they could do without. Use digital forms and surveys to collect opinions and adjust your programming accordingly. That way, you know you’re spending time creating events and activities that residents will attend.
Cherish the Moment
As an activity director, you have the power to make every moment count, both for yourself and for your residents. The most memorable moments are the ones where we laugh, have fun, and feel connected to our community. By remembering that your goal is to create a vibrant, engaging environment, you can ensure that each minute of your day is spent enhancing the lives of others.