The senior housing industry touts to prospective residents that they will thrive within their walls, no matter where they are on their physical or cognitive journey.This is not always the case, as the three plagues of retirement communities, loneliness, helplessness, and boredom are often experienced.

As individuals become dependent, so does their ability to stay engaged.  The responsibility of the activity & wellness staff is to alleviate this by providing person-centered experiences: Activities should be in charge of an ongoing program to address the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each and all residents.

Although there has been improvement due to additional accountability and customer demands in recent years, a strong disconnect still exists because of a poor understanding of the position and insufficient support.  The main reason of this misunderstanding is that, to the untrained eye, the only visible value comes from the activity itself.  But, similar to teaching, an activity is only as good as its preparation.

Read more on McKnight here to find out more about creating quality experience.