Director of Resident Engagement & Functional Wellness

Elderwood at Hamburg is a 166-bed skilled nursing facility in Hamburg, New York, reimagining resident engagement by integrating functional wellness, cognitive and behavioral health, rehabilitation goals, and community life. This role offers the opportunity to build—not just maintain—a transformative program in close partnership with residents, families, and interdisciplinary teams.

About the Role

We are seeking a visionary leader to develop a Resident Engagement & Functional Wellness Department, moving beyond traditional activities to create a holistic, person-centered program. This onsite leadership position will shape seven-day programming, including evenings and weekends, with a focus on measurable outcomes and resident feedback.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a resident-centered program spanning functional wellness, cognitive health, behavioral wellness, purpose, and community connection.
• Develop individual, small-group, neighborhood, and facility-wide experiences tailored to residents’ interests, abilities, history, culture, and goals.
• Build a Functional Maintenance Program in partnership with PT/OT, including training, competencies, reassessment, and clinical safeguards.
• Create dedicated programming for residents living with dementia and short-stay rehabilitation patients.
• Expand partnerships with families, volunteers, schools, faith communities, artists, musicians, libraries, and civic organizations.
• Lead a capable, accountable team with consistent coverage across days, evenings, and weekends.
• Develop a practical dashboard to track engagement, participation, resident experience, behavioral wellness, functional maintenance, and preventable decline.
• Set the department’s vision, standards, calendar, and daily operating rhythm.
• Coach staff to deliver meaningful engagement and reach residents who may not participate in traditional groups.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to integrate resident preferences, risks, behavioral approaches, and functional goals into programming and care planning.
• Use observations, participation data, resident/family feedback, and quality trends to refine the program.
• Maintain strong documentation, resident-rights practices, survey readiness, and compliance with skilled nursing regulations.
• Represent the program with warmth and credibility to residents, families, employees, volunteers, and community partners.

Requirements

The Director of Resident Engagement and Functional Wellness must meet all 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 meet at least one of the following:

• Eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist or activities professional through a recognized accrediting body.
• At least two years of experience in a social or recreational program within the past five years, including one year of full-time experience in a therapeutic activities program.
• A qualified Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy Assistant.
• Completed a state-approved activities-professional training course.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with training in recreation, as required by Elderwood and New York State regulations.
• Experience supervising, developing, and scheduling a team in skilled nursing, long-term care, healthcare, therapeutic recreation, or a related field.
• Ability to translate a program concept into a sustainable, well-organized operational model.
• Strong interdisciplinary communication skills and clinical judgment within established roles and escalation pathways.
• A data-informed approach to program quality, resident participation, documentation, compliance, and follow-through.
• Leadership qualities to build positive relationships with residents, families, employees, volunteers, and community partners.
• Flexibility, patience, creativity, and sensitivity to the needs of older adults.
• Physical ability to meet the demands of an active, resident-facing leadership role.
• Intermediate or advanced proficiency in English for safe and effective communication.
• Preferred experience in skilled nursing, dementia care, rehabilitation, gerontology, behavioral wellness, or therapeutic recreation.