Life Enrichment Director

Brown Deer Place•Coralville, IA

About The Position

The Life Enrichment Director creates and leads meaningful experiences that honor residents’ life stories, abilities, interests, and sense of purpose. The role focuses on fostering joy, connection, dignity, choice, and participation throughout daily community life. The director plans inclusive programming to support residents’ physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual well-being, and adapts activities to resident preferences and abilities. The position works with residents, families, care staff, and other department leaders to encourage engagement, including structured, sensory-rich programming and relationship-based strategies for residents living with dementia. The director also maintains activity calendars and documentation, tracks participation, manages supplies, budgets and donations, and ensures programs meet company standards and state regulations. The role requires confident use of workplace and senior-living technology, and some driving for meetings, resident appointments, and outings.

Requirements

Experience in activities, recreation, life enrichment, or a related field is preferred.
Technology experience and willingness to learn new software platforms.
Passion for working with older adults and creating meaningful experiences.
Strong communication, organizational, and time-management skills.
Creative, outgoing, and flexible personality.
Ability to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
Ability to drive as required for meetings and resident appointments and outings.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Experience in senior living, assisted living, or memory care strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Plan and lead a robust calendar of daily, weekly, and monthly life-enrichment experiences.
Design inclusive, adaptable programs that support residents’ physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual well-being.
Create experiences that encourage resident choice, participation, and engagement through activities such as music, movement, art, games, outings, and celebrations.
Learn residents’ life stories, interests, and preferences, and adapt programming in response to feedback and changing needs.
Encourage resident leadership, clubs, committees, and peer-to-peer involvement while supporting dignity, independence, and meaningful engagement.
Partner with the care team to provide purposeful, sensory-rich programming for residents living with dementia.
Implement structured daily routines that promote comfort, familiarity, and success, using redirection, validation, and relationship-based engagement strategies.
Model and promote Better Living’s mission and values, and contribute energy, positivity, and creativity to the community.
Partner with other department leaders on cross-department experiences; welcome families and guests and encourage their participation.
Represent Better Living positively during tours, events, and community outreach.
Drive as needed to attend meetings and transport residents to appointments and outings.
Maintain accurate activity calendars and required documentation, track participation and engagement, and manage activity supplies, budgets, and donations.
Ensure programs meet licensing, regulatory, and Better Living requirements; complete required training and attend team meetings.
Use Microsoft Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, digital calendars, senior-living software, documentation platforms, tablets, smart devices, and virtual platforms to support engagement and organization.
Create newsletters, calendars, and communication materials using approved digital templates; help residents with simple technology tasks and maintain organized files and timely documentation.