Recreation Leader

Hillcrest Health & LIving • Papillion, NE

16h • Onsite

About The Position

Hillcrest Health & Living is seeking an energetic, creative, and compassionate Recreation Leader at Hillcrest Country Estates Cottages in Papillion, Nebraska. The role helps elders stay connected, involved, and engaged in activities that bring them joy, supporting Hillcrest’s mission of inspiring people to live their best lives. The Recreation Leader plans and leads activities tailored to elders’ interests, preferences, abilities, and well-being, while fostering social connection, movement, creativity, and meaningful experiences. The role also involves assessments, care planning and activity documentation, event coordination, maintaining supplies and spaces, and collaborating with other team members in a fast-paced senior living environment.

The ideal candidate is warm, outgoing, creative, dependable, organized, attentive to detail, adaptable, and comfortable leading both group and individual activities. A genuine interest in working with aging adults is important. A high school diploma or equivalent, and relevant experience, are preferred but not stated as mandatory requirements.

This is a full-time position. Hillcrest offers multiple health insurance plan options for eligible team members, vision, dental, and life insurance, professional development and career-growth opportunities, gym membership reimbursement, and partner discounts. The role includes repetitive standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and movement throughout the day, as well as setting up, moving, and organizing activity supplies and equipment. The employee must speak, read, and write English and follow infection-control, safety, and resident-care procedures.

Requirements

• Must be able to speak, read, and write English.
• Must be able to safely assist with recreation programs, events, and activities.
• Must be able to perform repetitive standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and movement throughout the day.
• Must be flexible and calm when responding to elder, family, or team needs.
• Must have strong attention to detail and be able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to use technology and available resources efficiently and effectively.
• Must follow established infection-control, safety, and resident-care procedures.
• Warm, outgoing, and engaging personality.
• Strong creativity and ability to develop new activity ideas.
• Confidence leading group and individual activities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Dependability and consistent follow-through.
• Ability to stay organized and manage multiple activities and priorities.
• Ability to adapt activities to different physical or cognitive abilities.
• Positive, encouraging approach.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills.
• Genuine interest in working with aging adults.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced senior living environment.

Nice To Haves

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Previous recreation, activities, senior living, healthcare, hospitality, education, or similar experience preferred.
• Experience working with aging adults preferred.
• Experience planning or leading group activities, events, or recreational programming is helpful.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead group and individual activities based on elder interests and preferences.
• Create opportunities that promote socialization, connection, movement, creativity, and fun.
• Complete recreation and leisure assessments to understand individual interests and needs.
• Support care planning and required activity documentation.
• Assist with MDS-related recreation documentation as needed.
• Develop activity calendars and keep recreation opportunities fresh and engaging.
• Provide one-on-one activities and companionship for elders who prefer individualized experiences.
• Create sensory and enrichment activities for elders with different cognitive or physical needs.
• Coordinate parties, celebrations, special events, and seasonal activities.
• Decorate community spaces for holidays, events, and special occasions.
• Encourage participation while respecting each elder’s choices and preferences.
• Maintain activity supplies, equipment, and recreation spaces.
• Assist with volunteers and community involvement as appropriate.
• Collaborate with nursing, dining, social services, and other team members to support elders’ overall experience.
• Communicate changes in participation, behavior, or needs to the appropriate team member.
• Help create meaningful moments throughout the Cottages.
• Set up, move, and organize activity supplies and equipment as needed.
• Follow established infection-control, safety, and resident-care procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Multiple health insurance plan options for eligible team members.
• Vision insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Supportive leadership and a collaborative team.
• Professional development and career-growth opportunities.
• Dayforce Wallet, allowing team members to choose when they get paid.
• Gym membership reimbursement.
• Partner discounts.
• Opportunities to build experience in senior living and recreation programming.
• Opportunities to grow within Hillcrest Country Estates Cottages and Hillcrest Health & Living.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: High school or GED