Life Enrichment Team Leader

Carolina Meadows, located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is one of the nation's foremost continuing-care retirement communities. Our mission is to enrich and improve the lives of residents and those connected to our community. We do this by continuously striving to be the best place to live and work.

Life Enrichment Team Leader        

Reports to: Community Life Manager

Department: Resident Life 

Classification: Non - Exempt

Summary/Objective:

Essential Functions

Team Lead Administrative Responsibilities:

• Oversee daily workflows and ensure timely completion of all documentation and reporting requirements.
• Support the Community Life Manager in standardizing and implementing procedures across the Assisted Living and Memory Care Unit.
• Track deadlines, monitor task completion, and ensure quality and consistency in program delivery.
• Assist with onboarding and training of new team members.
• Serve as a point of contact for internal departments regarding logistics, room setups, transportation, and marketing of events.
• Gather and manage attendance and engagement data for evaluation and planning purposes.
• Participate in meetings and contribute to department planning, evaluations, and audits.
• Cross-train to provide coverage and ensure program continuity when other team members are unavailable.
•  Assist the Community Life Manager with budget-related tasks, including tracking expenses and contributing to budget planning.

Regular Oversight to Calendar
Planning, implementation and/or leading individual and group activities

• Activity Planning & Development: Develop and implement diverse individual and group activities, guided by the Community Life Manager, resident committees, and comprehensive assessments.
• Calendar & Communication: Design, create, and distribute engaging monthly activity calendars. Develop and post individual posters for special events, effectively communicating activity details to residents.
• Resource Management & Coordination: Collaborate with outside vendors to procure necessary supplies, equipment, and resources. Schedule and coordinate off-site trips, including transportation and volunteer support.
• Program Preparation: Continuously research and integrate new ideas from activity planning resources to enhance resident well-being and engagement.
• Resident-Centric Programming: Ensure all activities cater to the physical, intellectual, and spiritual needs of residents. Tailor activities based on residents' strengths, interests, and needs, utilizing resident feedback to inform current and future event planning. Coordinate seamlessly with other departments for event support (e.g., food, cleanup, furniture).
• Departmental Collaboration: Actively participate in monthly activities meetings, providing valuable input for calendar development and ensuring no overlap in special events.
• Event Logistics: Manage comprehensive room setups for each activity, including furniture arrangement, testing of sound/visual equipment, and preparation of all necessary supplies.
• Resident Engagement: Proactively gather residents for activities, encouraging participation through positive and enthusiastic promotion. Provide transportation to and from activities as needed.
• Activity Facilitation: Introduce each activity using creative methods to foster meaningful resident participation.
• Post-Activity Management: Ensure thorough room cleanup after each activity, restoring the space to its original condition and layout.

Maintains current records of all activities including resident participation, ideas, and feedback

• Aids in yearly budget planning as requested by the Community Life Manager.
• Orders supplies needed for activities and submits large or capital expense requests to the Community Life Manager for approval. Keeps all invoices and receipts and submits them accordingly.
• Logs all resident participation per event and maintains a participant binder or digital format if requested. Accesses data for program evaluation.
• Completes quarterly progress notes on resident participation in activities and enters into the medical chart .
• Completes an initial activity assessment including interests, abilities, and needs, and documents in the resident chart.

Work Environment

This position is performed in a senior living community and includes time in offices, activity rooms, common areas, and outdoor spaces. The environment can be busy and may require adapting to frequent interruptions and changing resident needs.

Physical Demands

This position involves regular physical activity. The Team Lead will often walk, stand, bend, lift, and move around to help set up rooms, carry supplies, take residents to and from activities, and lead programs. The job may include lifting items, pushing or pulling carts, chairs, furniture or wheelchairs.

Required Education and Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working in life enrichment, activities, or recreation role in a senior living or healthcare setting
• Experience planning and leading group programs for older adults
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office
• Understanding of federal, state, and local regulations related to resident care, activity documentation, and confidentiality.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Therapeutic Recreation, Gerontology, Social Work, or a related field.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience.
• Certification as an Activity Director (NCCAP or equivalent) or the ability to obtain required certification within six (6) months of the hired date.
• Advanced dementia-focused certification, such as Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) or Certified Montessori Dementia Care Professional, required within six (6) months of obtaining NCCAP certification, or within six (6) months of the effective start date if NCCAP is already held.
• Familiarity with person-centered programming and dementia-friendly practices.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

  Valid driver’s license and ability to transport residents in community vehicles (if applicable)

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Carolina Meadows is an equal opportunity at will employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, disability, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.