Becoming Activity Director

I want to be a certified Activity Director

Hi, I have a BS in Psychology and extensive activites learned over the years. Movement, dance,
craft work, group oriented classes

Wondering about a internship somewhere, willing to relocate and become certified

Get your CTRS activity directors can't bill for services and are not clinical staff. AD's are kind of like glorified CNA's

Thanks, kind of thought so.
I am very resourceful and good with people, but I like to be alone too.
Maybe not good work for me

Thanks,

thought so. I would get bored

I would have to disagree. I am an Activity Director in Illinois. I am definitely NOT a glorified CNA. I design activities, events, and coordinate community events with the general public. The types of Activities have nothing to do with ADLs but rather the mental health of every resident. A few different types of programs I run are "Intellectual", "Arts", "Life Skills", "Entertainment", etc.

I work with the local colleges, park districts, so many different organizations. My job is to keep my residents, young adults with physical disabilities, entertained, cognitively well and feeling like an active member of the greater community. I think you shouldn't form an opinion about Activities Professionals until you see what a real one does.

I agree with the Social Director in Illinois. This is a PROFESSION that I have been evolving in for over 12 years. Currently due to my health I have stepped back from the field and gone back to school. It is interesting that I came across this while doing research for an english class essay on the attitudes towards my profession and passion in Activities.

We are more than "glorified CNA's", our profession has been called the heart of the retirement home. Without activities, the people who plan the activities, or those that implement the activities residents in retirement communities would shrivel up and die.

How would you like to wake up to a day filled with taking loads of medicine that is to make you "feel better", 3 meals a day that you can't really taste or smell anymore that is to make you healthier to just sit in a room that you may share with someone you don't really care for and watch tv shows of active people who are "living". You don't really have a social network unless you have family that visits often, not often the case in these institutions.

Without Activities Departments that is the life that would be led in an institution. To me this doesn't sound like the "Golden Years" and it doesn't even sound like living. It is the main reason that I chose the field and is one the main reasons I have gone back to school so I can change the attitudes about the field of Activities and help shape prospective professionals in Activities to one of the most wonderful and rewarding career choices available.

Hi. I am a certified teacher interested in starting out in this field. I'm hoping that my experience as an educator will closely parallel that of an activities director. Does anyone know if you can become employed at a nursing home while pursuing certification?

Thank you in advance!

PLEASE LOOK INTO THE COJ.NET CITY OF JACKSONVILLE JOB SITE THEY HAVE A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS OPENING

babybird in Largo, Florida said: Hi. I am a certified teacher interested in starting out in this field. I'm hoping that my experience as an educator will closely parallel that of an activities director. Does anyone know if you can become employed at a nursing home while pursuing certification?

Thank you in advance!

LOOK INTO THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE THEY HAVE AN OPENING FOR A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS DEPARTMENT. YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. LOOK IT UP ON COJ.NET OPEN JOBS OR CALL HUMAN RESOURCES.

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately I cannot leave the Largo area. Also, when I looked at the posting it said that Jacksonville was on a hiring freeze.

jpratue in Jacksonville, Florida said: PLEASE LOOK INTO THE COJ.NET CITY OF JACKSONVILLE JOB SITE THEY HAVE A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS OPENING