Activities Director

The primary purpose of your position is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operations of the Activities Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations, our established policies and procedures, and as may be directed by the Administrator, to assure that an on-going program of activities is designed to meet, in accordance with the comprehensive assessment, the interests and the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident.

Administrative Functions

• Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the activity programs of the Facility.

• Keep abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards of practice, and make recommendations on changes in policies and procedures to the Administrator.

• Review department policies and procedures, at least annually, and participate in making recommended changes.

• Develop and implement policies and procedures for the identification of medically related activity needs of the resident.

• Participate in community planning related to the interests of the Facility and the services and needs of the resident and family.

• Participate in discharge planning, development and implementation of activity care plans and resident assessments.

• Interview resident and families, as necessary, in a private setting.

• Refer resident and families to appropriate personnel, as needed, to meet resident and family needs.

• Involve residents and families in planning Facility activity programs.

• Provide consultation to members of our staff, community agencies, etc., in efforts to solve the needs and problems of the resident through the development of activity programs.

• Assist in the review and updating of departmental job descriptions, at least annually.

• Assume the authority, responsibility, and accountability of directing the Activities Department.

• Maintain a productive working relationship with the medical profession and other health related facilities and organizations.

• Review and evaluate the department’s work force and make recommendations to the Administrator.

• Coordinate activities with other departments, as necessary.

• Work with the Facility’s activity consultant and implement recommended changes, as required.

• Delegate authority, responsibility, and accountability to other responsible department personnel.

• Make written and oral reports and recommendations to the Administrator concerning the operation of the Activities Department.

• Assist in standardizing the methods in which work will be accomplished.

• Interpret the department’s policies and procedures to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc.

• Keep abreast of economic conditions and situations and recommend to the Administrator adjustments in activity programs that assure the continued ability to provide daily activities.

• Review and develop a plan of correction for activity deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such report to the Administrator.

• Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to the Administrator of action(s) taken. Follow Facility’s established procedures.

• Develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for the Activities Department.

• Participate in Facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.

• Interview residents or family members to obtain activity information.

• Ensure that all charted activity progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident’s response to the service.

• Maintain a reference library of written material, laws, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations and that will provide assistance in maintaining a quality activity program.

• Involve the resident and family in planning objectives and goals for the resident.

• Meet with administration, medical, and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning activity programs.

• Arrange transportation for field trips when necessary.

• Participate in the review and completion of appropriate resident assessment items, review of quality indicators, quality measures, survey results, appropriate to Activities services and make necessary changes that correct identified or potential problem areas.

Committee Functions

• Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the Facility as appointed by the Administrator.

• Provide written and/or oral reports of the programs and activities, as required or as may be directed by such committee(s).

• Participate in regularly scheduled reviews of resident discharge plans.

• Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to Activities services.

• Attend department head meetings, etc., as scheduled or as may be called.

• Schedule and announce departmental meeting times, dates, places, etc.

Personnel Functions

• Assist in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of personnel for the Activities Department.

• Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the Activities Department’s needs, and assign a sufficient number of Activities personnel for each tour of duty.

• Recommend to the Administrator the number and level of Activities personnel to employ.

• Schedule department work hours (including vacation and holiday schedules), personnel, work assignments, etc., to expedite work.

• Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to other Activities personnel as deemed necessary to perform their assigned duties and responsibilities.

• Counsel and discipline Activities personnel, as requested or as necessary.

• Terminate employment of personnel when necessary, documenting, and coordinating such actions with the HR Delegate and/or Administrator.

• Assist in standardizing the methods in which activity programs will be performed and/or administered.

• Review and check competence of Activities personnel and make necessary adjustments or corrections, as required or that may become necessary.

• Maintain an excellent working relationship with other department supervisors and coordinate the activity program to assure that daily activities can be performed without interruption.

• Assure that appropriate identification documents are presented prior to employment and that such records are maintained in the employee’s personnel record.

• Make daily rounds to assure that Activities personnel are performing required duties, and to assure that appropriate activity programs are being rendered to meet the needs of the resident.

• Conduct departmental performance evaluations in accordance with the Facility’s policies and procedures.

Staff Development

• Develop and participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that provide instructions on “how to do the job,” and ensures a well-educated Activities Department.

• Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the department, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.

• Provide leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for the Activities Department.

• Encourage the supervisory staff to attend and participate in outside training programs. Schedule times as appropriate.

• Attend and participate in continuing educational programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status.

• Ensure that all department personnel attend and participate in Facility mandatory in-service training programs as scheduled (e.g., OSHA, TB, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, etc.).

Safety and Sanitation

• Assist in developing safety standards for the Activities Department.

• Ensure that the department’s policy and procedures manual identifies safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that may result in bodily injury.

• Monitor department personnel to assure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.

• Ensure that department work areas are maintained in a clean, sanitary, and safe manner.

• Ensure that all department personnel follow established departmental policies and procedures, including appropriate dress codes.

• Assist in the development, implementation, and revising of written aseptic and isolation techniques relative to activities.

• Develop, implement, and maintain a program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among residents and personnel.

• Ensure that Activities personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.

• Develop, implement, and maintain a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.

• Ensure that department personnel follow established procedures governing the use of labels and MSDSs.

• Report missing and illegible labels and MSDSs.

Equipment and Supply Functions

• Recommend to the Administrator the equipment and supply needs of the Activities Department.

• Place orders for equipment and supplies, as necessary or as may be required.

• Make periodic rounds to check equipment and to assure that necessary equipment is available and working properly.

• Check supply rooms to assure that needed activity supplies are on hand to conduct scheduled activities.

• Ensure that all personnel operate activity equipment in a safe manner.

• Develop and implement procedures that ensure activity supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

• Ensure that appropriate cleaning supplies are on hand to perform necessary departmental cleaning functions.

• Ensure that MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the Activities Department.

Assessment and Care Plan Functions

• Develop preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the activity needs of each resident.

• Develop a written plan of care (preliminary and comprehensive) for each resident that identifies the problems and needs of the resident and the goals to be accomplished for each problem and need identified.

• Encourage the resident and family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s plan of care.

• Assist in the scheduling of activity care plans and assessments to be presented and discussed at each committee meeting.

• Ensure that all Activities personnel are aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in providing daily activities for the resident.

• Review nurses’ notes to determine if the activity care plan is being followed. Report problem areas to the Director of Nursing Services.

• Review and revise care plans and assessments, as necessary but at least quarterly.

Budget and Planning Functions

• Forecast needs of the Activities department.

• Assist in preparing and planning the Activities Department’s budget for food, equipment, supplies, and labor and submit to the Administrator for review, recommendations, and approval.

• Maintain current written records of department expenditures and assure that adequate financial records and cost reports are submitted to the Administrator upon request or as necessary.

• Make departmental adjustments in order to conform to approved budget, and/or as dictated by an analysis of the monthly operating statement.

Resident Rights

• Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written or oral report to the Administrator within indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance. Follow Facility’s established procedures.

• Participate in resident and group council meetings as requested and provide support services to such council.

• Maintain a written record of the resident’s complaints and/or grievances that indicates the action taken to resolve the complaint and the current status of the complaint.

• Must adhere to all HIPAA requirements.

Miscellaneous

• Make weekly inspections of all activity functions to assure that quality control measures are continually maintained.

• Schedule movies, plan parties, and provide games and activities for residents.

• Encourage residents to participate in hobbies and crafts. Provide materials, as necessary.

• Supervise activities, as necessary.

• Develop and maintain an activity schedule.

• Provide reading materials in Braille, tapes, and records, as necessary.

• Assist in providing library service for residents through cooperation with local library.

• Make routine visits to residents and perform assistance with crafts, projects, etc., as necessary.

• May arrange for sale of articles made by residents, i.e., at bazaars, in gift shop, etc.

• Assist bed residents by visiting with them, writing letters, running errands, making appointments, etc., as necessary.

• Encourage residents to develop their educational development through reading, etc.

Working Conditions

• Works in office areas as well as throughout the Facility.