Activity professionals at our three Hillcrest Healthcare communities play a crucial part in our person-centered care that prioritizes the social well-being of residents. We’re so thankful for our activity teams who consistently create and execute a full slate of engaging activities.
National Activity Professionals Week occurs each year in January. It’s focused on recognizing the contributions of activity professionals who provide engaging activities for residents in senior living communities. It’s important to shine a light on hard work and dedication of activity professionals, because their work truly helps seniors stay active, social and mentally stimulated while fostering an important sense of community.
We caught up with a couple of our activity professionals to get their insight into their chosen profession, and it’s clear that their passion is positively impacting residents and patients every day.
Susan Smith
Activities Director, Beverly Park Place
What brings me the most satisfaction and joy in being an activities director are the smiles, memories and special moments while bringing residents quality of life no matter where they are on their current journey.
Activity professionals are a different breed. We naturally think outside of the box, are creative, optimistic and natural caregivers. I always welcome ideas from others for activities, then incorporate some of this and some of that. Also, we have fabulous volunteers that go to extremes to help make dreams and visions come true.
Residents have some favorite activities, for example, they enjoy noodle ball which is an exercise with pool noodle and a balloon: they cannot get enough. They also love a GREAT PARTY. The Tennessee Tailgate Party is one of the best, and one of our residents exclaimed, “Now that’s what I call a party!” Music is also a universal language among residents, so we share plenty of tunes – mostly oldies and fun songs like those from KC and The Sunshine Band.
A robust activity program helps residents live meaningful lives because it gives them a purpose to get up every day, help when they can and do for others as well as themselves. I have been an activity professional for 21 years. I was facing many challenges in my personal life, prayed for God to put me where he wanted me and landed in caring for those who needed me. He definitely paved the way through furthering my education, putting the right people in my life to teach me and prepared me for the future.
I have fond memories of many residents. One gentleman I worked with long ago had striking blue eyes, a checkered past, didn’t trust easily and was a loner – and he found his way to my heart, and I wiggled my way into his. I was holding his hand when he took his last breath and made sure that he received the most special care in death as in life. I still see his eyes and smile today.
Recently, a former therapy patient from several years ago returned to us. When I walked into her room she said, “Hello Susan, I was hoping that you would still be here. The last time I was here you brought me through a difficult time. You carried your big boom box around and sang the most beautiful hymns and took me to other floors to help with bingo. You gave me a reason to live again. Please promise me that you will sing to me again.” Of course, I promised to sing for her! She is a great reminder of why I remain in long-term care. These are the moments that drive me.
Kathy Ray
Activities Director, West Hills
My favorite part of being an activity director is seeing the residents enjoying themselves – whether it’s them trying to new things or realizing that they can still do things they didn’t think they could. I feel like my job is to make them happy doing what they want to do, including food, games and crafts. In fact, residents help me come up with many ideas for activities, and I get others from Pinterest, friends and other activity professionals.
Residents at West Hills love to paint. I found a local artist, Cheryl Jackson, who does painting classes at assisted and senior living facilities. She brings her original artwork and all the supplies for them to paint. She’s so good with the residents and has really brought out their talent. They also love playing games, such as UNO, trivia and guessing games. All the residents love animals, so they really enjoy when our administrator brings his dog, or when our physical therapist brings her rabbits.
Activities are so important for seniors – it keeps their minds and bodies active. They need socialization and to stimulate their minds. It gives them something to look forward to. They decided how to utilize our holiday budget this year – choosing between entertainment or making Christmas gifts for family and friends. They chose to make gifts. We made spiced tea. They made the mix, put it in jars, decorated the jars with stickers and put them in gift bags. Everyone was so happy with the results.
Residents also sparked a great idea in the summer when all the fresh vegetables were coming in. We were talking about home-cooked meals and decided to cook a meal together. I got fresh green beans, new potatoes, corn, okra, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. The residents broke beans, shucked the corn, cut it off the cob, cut the okra and other vegetables for a salad. I cooked the beans and potatoes at home and put them in a crock pot the next day. We cooked the corn, okra, made the salad and I baked cornbread. They said it was the best meal they had had all year. They enjoyed it so much, we did it all again two weeks later!
A heartfelt thank you
“Thank you” seems insufficient to let all activity professionals know the true and enormous positive impact they make in lives each and every day and how thankful we are for them. They enrich lives and bring smiles and joy and provide such an important role in senior care.
You can keep up with the activities happening our communities by following us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hillcrestknox.