Activity Director Training Program

The Activity Director in long term care is a vital member of the health care team. He or she provides services that help to meet the psychosocial, physical, intellectual, emotional, and community involvement needs of residents. These services enrich the lives of residents and contribute to their quality of life. This program has been developed to help the participant to be an effective Activity Director.  Please see the course agenda for more information, and register today.

Course Format
The format for this training program is competency-based with a focus on the participant. Each competency is a statement that represents the knowledge, skills and attitude that effective Activity Directors should know and be able to do. It is expected that participants will have varying backgrounds and experiences. Therefore, participants are encouraged to self-assess his or her ability to perform the competencies by completing the self-assessment tool in the beginning of each module and to concentrate on the areas that are weakest. There are six modules. Each module concentrates on a major duty area of the job of an Activity Director. At the end of each module is a self-assessment tool of knowledge that each participant should complete to identify how well he or she understands the content. The content presented is not meant be all-inclusive. There are many tasks that are best learned while doing the work of an Activity Director and the participant will benefit from continuing education offered by IHCA-ICAL at quarterly workshops and annual convention.  We highly encourage Activity Directors to participate in these meetings. 

Hours Of Instruction
This training program meets one of the qualifying options for Activity Directors identified in the document, Guidance To Surveyors – Long Term Care Facilities (TagNumber F249, pp 59), issued by Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Bureau of Facility Standards.

The participant in this training program must complete thirty four (34) hours of instruction. The course is delivered through face-to-face instruction by qualified presenters and self-study assignments. 

Mandated Experience
The Activity Director is required to complete 1040 hours of supervised experience in a long term care facility (hours accumulated prior to attending the training can be included). The experience is to include planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating projects and/or programs for residents. The participant will identify the person who will/has supervise(d) them.  Experienced Activity Directors are encouraged to serve as supervisors/mentors for Activity Directors in training.

Grading
The grading that is recommended for this program, and is subject to change, is Pass/Incomplete. Pass means that the participant completes all curriculum assignments and the 1040 hours of supervised experience. An Incomplete grade is assigned when any part of the requirements is not met. The participant is expected to make arrangements for completion of requirements by planning with the instructor and IHCA-ICAL. Records of completion of assignments will be maintained by course facilitators/instructors/supervisors and a certificate of completion awarded to successful participants by the IHCA.

Major Learning Outcomes Of This Program
Participants who successfully complete this training program will be able to:

• Identify with the role, responsibilities and characteristics of the effective Activity Director
• Locate and use the rules, regulations, and policies that they generate in establishing standards of practice for the Activity Department staff
• Perform residents’ assessments and develop, implement, monitor and evaluate residents’ plans of care
• Perform all documentation required, Develop, implement, evaluate and improve programs for resident’s with special activity needs
• Manage the Activity Department (staff and responsibilities) with effectiveness  
• Plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate effective activities for residents internal and external to the facility of employment