Activities Director – Long Term Care Center | Part-Time

Position Summary

The Activities Director provides for an ongoing program of activities designed to meet, in accordance with the comprehensive assessment, the interests and the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. The Activity Director plans, organizes, and directs or carries out a program of activities, which will provide entertainment, intercommunication, exercise, relaxation, opportunity to express creative talent, and fulfill basic psychological, social, and spiritual needs for our residents. The Activity Director will be available to all residents as requested by the residents’ physicians, subject to their written restrictions and limitations.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the activity programs of this facility. Keeping abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards, and make recommendations on changes in policies and procedures to the DNS.

• Provide an activities program on a daily basis including evenings and weekends.
• Provide a plan of activities appropriate to the needs of the residents that includes, but is not limited to:
  • Group social activities.
  • Indoor and outdoor activities, which may include daily walks.
  • Activities away from the facility.
  • Spiritual programs and attendance at houses of worship.
  • Opportunity for resident involvement in planning and implementation of the activities program.
  • Creative activities such as arts, crafts, music, drama, educational programs
  • Exercise activities
  • One to one attention
  • Promotion of facility / community interaction
• Assure that at least thirty (30) minutes of staff time is provided per resident per week for activities duties.
• Prepare a monthly calendar of activities written in large print and posted in a prominent location and in resident rooms that is visible to residents and visitors.
• Coordinate the activities program with other services in the facility.
• Recruit, train, and supervise volunteers when appropriate.
• Assess resident needs and develop resident activities goals for the written care plan.
• Encourage resident participation in activities and document outcomes.
• Review goals and progress notes.
• Properly document MDS reports and progress notes.
• Obtain necessary equipment and supplies and provide for their accessibility through organized storage.
• Participate with the administrator/DNS in developing a budget.
• Foster family and community support of the activity program (e. g., through newsletters, networking, and activities) which bring family members or members of the community into the facility, etc.
• Initiates and promotes activities both within and outside the facility to stimulate and promote resident interest, communication and general well-being.
• Encourages hobbies and provide materials and supplies in keeping with each resident’s financial status and department budget.
• Encourages, Instructs and supervises craft activities among residents, in groups or individually, in recreational areas or in residents’ rooms.
• Complies with safety regulations and policies.
• Plans parties, provides games, and encourages residents to assist in the planning, such as making table decorations, wrapping gifts, trimming room or area, and other similar activities.
• Encourages residents to participate in religious activities to fulfill their basic spiritual needs, through visits with local ministers, attendance at religious services whenever possible, spiritual reading material, and others.
• Encourages intellectual / educational development through literature, lectures, movies, cultural events, and other activities available in the community.
• Visits bed-bound residents, writes letters for them, runs errands. This may include assisting residents to church services, appointments, etc.
• Is responsible for the smooth operation of the resident council and its documentation.
• Will contact relatives at residents’ request and may act as liaison with relatives.
• Requisitions, and upon approval of Administrator, purchases supplies, equipment, and materials to carry out programs.
• Is responsible for appearance of work area.
• Must be familiar with OSHA Blood-borne Pathogen Standard and BMCC’s Exposure Control policy.
• Must maintain documentation of activities to meet all state and federal requirements.
• Create, maintain and manage volunteer groups.
• Perform administrative requirements such as completing necessary forms, reports, etc., and submitting such to the DNS as required.
• Interview resident/families as necessary and in a private setting involve in planning activity programs, objectives, goals when possible.
• Refer resident/families to appropriate social service personnel when the facility does not provide the services or needs of the residents.
• Attempts to meet the needs and provide adaptive devices for those who may need them.
• Refer to DNS or administrator if things need ordered.
• Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and residents, and make written reports to the administrator within 5 working days of action taken.
• Participate in surveys made by authorized government agencies.
• Assure that all activity progress notes charted are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident’s response to the service.
• Completes all aspects of paper work and documentation in a timely manner, assure this does not interfere with activities.
• Aspects of this requirement include providing activities first and completing paperwork secondarily, recognizing the importance of residents having the opportunity to engage in activities is the first priority.
• Assist in the recruitment, interviewing and selection of personnel for the activity department.
• Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the activity department’s needs and schedule a sufficient number of activity people each day.
• Give schedule to DNS with AD and ADA requests off prior to her making the schedule.
• Assist with evaluations and job descriptions.
• Coordinates activities with other departments as needed.
• Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program for new employees. Assure they are knowledgeable of policy/procedure, regulations and residents rights, etc.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Completes annual education requirements.
• Maintains regulatory requirements, including all federal, state, local regulations and accrediting organization standards.
• Maintains and ensures resident confidentiality at all times.
• Reports to work on time and as scheduled.
• Wears identification while on duty.
• Attends annual review and performs departmental in-services.
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Attends committee and management meetings, as appropriate.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
• Communicates the mission, ethics and goals of the facility.
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Evidence of effective problem resolution skills
• Ability to maintain composure in stressful situations

This position demands good physical and mental health. The Activity Director will be required to lift, carry, turn or assist high-risk residents and be willing to work a flexible work schedule. The Activity Director must be able to sit, stand, bend, walk and carry things associated with the activity program. Must be able to lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds.

Education, Experience & Certification/Licensure

Required:

• High School diploma or G.E.D
• BLS certificate
• Satisfactory completion of a training course for activity directors approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
• This person may also be either a qualified therapeutic recreation specialist or an activities professional certified by a recognized accrediting body or a qualified occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant.

Preferred:

• CNA License in good standing with Oregon State Board of Nursing (preferred)

For More Information, Contact

Holly Thompson, Human Resources
hthompson@bluemountainhospital.org | 541-575-3820

Why Blue Mountain Hospital District & Grant County?

The Blue Mountain Hospital District (BMHD) is located in Grant County, Oregon, at the heart of the John Day River, in beautiful, rural, Eastern Oregon. Our District is comprised of a Critical Access Hospital (CAH), Family & Rural Medicine Clinic, Home Care and Hospice, Emergency Medical Services, an Intermediate Care Center and all of the supporting ancillary departments necessary to care for the health and wellness of our community.

Our District spans from John Day to Prairie City, nestled in a valley surrounded by the Blue Mountains. The Strawberry Mountain Range and John Day River Valley offers a variety of outdoor activities, from abundant hiking/mountain biking/horse riding trails, to high and low lakes and ponds. Our area is known to be a “go to” place not just for recreation, but also for big game hunting and fishing!

Join our family-like team and settle into a lifestyle that is hard to beat!

For more information on our area, visit our Grant County Chamber of Commerce and Discover John Day pages at: https://www.gcoregonlive.com/ and https://www.discoverjohnday.com/