What Do Licensed Activity Directors Do?

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) require that all the places that get reimbursement from the federal government have a registered or certified activity director. Activity directors must be licensed or registered in the state they are working in. The activity director has many duties.

Preparing a Monthly Activity Calendar

• Each month, a licensed activity director must prepare a calendar that reflects the day and evening group and individual activities that are offered to the residents each day.. The calendar should be easy to read, distributed to everyone and posted for all to see.

Assessing Residents Interests and Needs

• When new residents are admitted, the director will ask them about their interests past and present. Also one finds out about their strengths and limitations.

Revising the Activity Programs

• From time to time, the director may have to make changes to the activity calendar besides the usual changes done each month. This should be done when the interests and limitations of the residents change.

Writing Care Plans

• Once the licensed activity director has had time to evaluate and monitor a resident's activity pursuits, he will write a plan of care that reflects future goals and approaches that will best get and keep him involved.

Getting Necessary Supplies

• A director will be obtaining all the items that are needed for various activities. He sometimes buys them, but he can usually gather donations when needed.

Maintaining a Volunteer Program

• Because the licensed activity director will have many needy residents, it is advantageous to have a group of volunteers to help with the activity program. He will need to recruit, orient and keep a schedule of when the volunteers are present.