Head of Activities

Purpose

The head of activities takes overall responsibility for the recreational, therapeutic and social aspects of the residents’ activities, both inside and outside the home. He or she also takes a lead in promoting the home and ensuring that members of the local community are aware of the positive and therapeutic aspects of the activities being provided.

Reporting to: Home Manager

What does the role involve?

The head of activities and his/her team organise a varied programme of activities, working hard to stimulate residents’ mind, body and soul, ensure that their lives are active and fulfilled and help maximise their health, wellbeing and independence.

One of the first tasks of the morning for the head of activities and one or more activities assistant(s) is to check that day’s schedule and prepare the activities for each floor, liaising with the facilities and kitchen teams if their help is needed. This is also a good time to send emails regarding future activities – contacting people in the local community or further afield about getting free or discounted activities/equipment or organising future sessions with external entertainers.

Activities take place mid-morning and mid-afternoon for an hour and could be anything from arts and crafts or balloon tennis to a quiz and discussion on a particular topic. In the afternoon the home may host a visiting entertainer, a pet therapist (bringing in friendly dogs, guinea pigs or reptiles) or someone from the library or history society to give a talk about local heritage. Or if it’s a special day, such as Pancake or National Pizza Day, we may ask residents to decorate and taste their own pancakes/pizzas.

The head of activities talks regularly to residents about what they would like to do, and in this way the team accomplishes a lot of individual and group wish fulfilment.

As communication with families is important, too, the team regularly sends pictures of residents enjoying activities or celebrating birthdays and events directly to relatives and also to the company’s marketing team for posting on the home’s Facebook page.