Care Home life is made up of a number of different elements to help things run smoothly. From the care provided by care assistants to medical treatment provided by RGNs, our care homes aim to provide the very best experience for our care home residents. Part of this is ensuring that every resident feels involved in care home life and is kept mentally and physically active during their time with us. Providing that all-important mental and physical activity is our care home activity coordinators. Here is what our activity coordinators get up to in our care homes and how you can become a care home activity coordinator yourself.

 

What is a Care Home Activity Coordinator?

A care home activity coordinator is someone who works within a care home setting to arrange and action activities for residents. This could involve a physical activity for those who are able or organising a mental exercise to get everyone involved in something fun. Part of the role of a care home activity coordinator is to adapt activities to the needs of our care home residents to ensure that everyone who would like to has the chance to get involved. Depending on the size of the care home, activity coordinators may have to plan activities for small or large groups of people at a time.

 

What Types of Activities do Activity Coordinators Plan?

Lots of care homes employ an activity coordinator to plan and run activities within their homes and this is something Select Healthcare is proud to provide. Our care activity coordinators cater each activity to the needs of residents in the home they are working in. Depending o the needs of the residents, this could include things such as chair exercises, board games, gardening and painting. It could also include day trips and excursions away from teh care home to get residents involved with the local community or have a fun day out that meets their needs. At Select Healthcare, we pride ourselves on a holistic approach to care so our activity coordinators plan out a variety of activities to exercise mentally as well as physically.

 

Why Are Activity Coordinators Important?

As with every member of staff in a care home, activity coordinators are an important part of care home life. Particularly when first moving to a care home, residents may feel isolated or lonely, and activities that cater to them and get them involved in care home community life can help residents to settle in and gain confidence in their new surroundings. For many, living without specialist care previously, they may not have been able to access old hobbies due to changing needs and a chat with a friendly activity coordinator could mean that they are able to enjoy their favourite hobbies again in a way that has been adapted for their changing needs. For those with dementia, dementia-focused activities such as reminiscence therapy can help to bring back old, happy memories that can reduce stress and improve their overall mood. Having a care home activity coordinator in place means that residents are able to get the exercise they need to remain healthy and live life to the fullest.

 

What Skills or Qualifications Do I Need to Become an Activity Coordinator in a Care Home?

One of the most important skills when it comes to being an activity coordinator is good communication skills. Being able to chat with residents with ease can mean the world to a resident who feels isolated and is a key skill when it comes to getting residents involved in fun activities.Creativity and enthusiasm will help you bring the role to life.

Depending on the type of care home you are looking to work in. Many activity coordinator roles are entry-level. This means that the formal qualifications you need to possess in order to be considered for the role are minimal. These might includes GCSEs in Maths and English or a social care qualification such as a Diploma in Health and Social Care Level 2 or 3. Having a compassionate personality is a must in any role in a care home and being a good listener will help you adapt your activities to fit the needs and interests of the residents who will be taking part.

 

How Do I Become a Care Home Activity Coordinator?

Becoming a care home activity coordinator is quite straightforward and one of the most important skills you can possess is compassion, along with the ability to talk to anyone. We have a range of care careers on our careers page so if you are looking for a rewarding environment to start your career, Select Healthcare is the place. Don’t see the right role for you? Send us a copy of your CV and we’ll get in touch when we find the right fit.

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