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Director of Resident Engagement & Functional Wellness

Elderwood at Hamburg | Hamburg, New York | 166-bed skilled nursing facility

Reimagine what an Activities Department can achieve.

Elderwood at Hamburg is developing a new model that connects meaningful engagement with resident function, cognitive and behavioral wellness, rehabilitation goals, and community life. We are seeking a leader who can transform a traditional activities program into a Resident Engagement & Functional Wellness Department - one designed around the whole person and built in close partnership with residents, families, Nursing, Rehabilitation, Social Work, Dietary, Pharmacy, and Medical leadership.

This is a chance to build- not simply maintain -a program for a 160-bed skilled nursing facility. The right leader will bring imagination and operational discipline, create reliable seven-day programming, develop a strong team, and use resident feedback and meaningful measures to show what is working.

The Opportunity.

This is an onsite leadership role at Elderwood at Hamburg. The department is being designed for seven-day coverage, including evening and weekend programming; final schedule expectations, compensation, and benefits will be shared once approved for posting.

If you believe resident engagement can preserve ability, reduce isolation, strengthen recovery, and bring purpose to everyday life, we invite you to help build what comes next at Elderwood at Hamburg.

What You’ll Have the Opportunity to Build:

• A resident-centered program spanning functional wellness, cognitive health, behavioral wellness, purpose and meaning, and family and community connection.
• Individual, small-group, neighborhood, and facility-wide experiences shaped by each resident’s interests, abilities, history, culture, and goals.
• A Functional Maintenance Program carried out in partnership with PT/OT, with clear plans, training, competencies, reassessment, and clinical safeguards.
• Dedicated programming for residents living with dementia and for short-stay rehabilitation residents preparing for the next stage of recovery.
• A stronger network of families, volunteers, schools, faith communities, artists, musicians, libraries, and civic partners.
• A capable, accountable team with consistent coverage across days, evenings, and weekends.
• A practical dashboard that helps leadership understand engagement, participation, resident experience, behavioral wellness, functional maintenance, and opportunities to prevent avoidable decline.

How You’ll Lead:

• Set the vision, standards, calendar, and daily operating rhythm for the department.
• Coach staff to deliver meaningful engagement—not activity for activity’s sake—and reach residents who may not participate in traditional groups.
• Partner with the interdisciplinary team to integrate resident preferences, risks, behavioral approaches, and functional goals into programming and care planning.
• Use observations, participation data, resident and family feedback, and quality trends to improve the program.
• Maintain strong documentation, resident-rights practices, survey readiness, and compliance with skilled nursing requirements.
• Represent the program with warmth and credibility to residents, families, employees, volunteers, and community partners.

What We’re Looking For:

The Director of Resident Engagement and Functional Wellness must meet all applicable federal and New York State qualification requirements for directing an activities program in a skilled nursing facility.

Candidates must be a qualified therapeutic recreation specialist or activities professional who is licensed or registered by the state, if applicable, and meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Is eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist or activities professional through a recognized accrediting body

• Has at least two years of experience in a social or recreational program within the past five years, including at least one year of full-time experience in a therapeutic activities program

• Is a qualified Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy Assistant

• Has completed a state-approved activities-professional training course

Additional qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree with training in recreation, as required by Elderwood and applicable New York State requirements

• Experience supervising, developing, and scheduling a team in skilled nursing, long-term care, healthcare, therapeutic recreation, resident services, or a related environment

• Ability to transform a strong program concept into a sustainable, well-organized operating model

• Strong interdisciplinary communication skills and the judgment to work within established clinical roles and escalation pathways

• A data-informed approach to program quality, resident participation, documentation, regulatory compliance, and follow-through

• Leadership qualities and the ability to build positive relationships with residents, families, employees, volunteers, visitors, and community partners

• Flexibility, patience, creativity, and sensitivity to the individual needs and preferences of older adults

• Ability to meet the physical demands of an active, resident-facing leadership role and perform responsibilities according to established standards

• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English at an intermediate or more advanced level to support safe, effective communication with residents, families, employees, visitors, and supervisors

Experience in skilled nursing, dementia care, rehabilitation, gerontology, behavioral wellness, therapeutic recreation, or activity programming is strongly preferred.