Considering a Career in Long Term Care
Activities Professional
Nursing facilities and assisted living residences typically offer a variety of in-house or external events such as trips to a mall, social events, picnics and arranging religious services. Activity and recreational professionals are specially trained to develop appropriate levels of activities that offer entertainment, educational opportunities, religious expression and provide social interaction along with mental and physical stimulation. These individuals often manage a facility’s volunteer program as well.
Social Services
Social workers are critical to the success of the long term care team. They act as the contact between patients, their families and facility staff. They assess patients, interact with the medical staff and, in general, provide for the patients’ well-being. Social workers also serve as counselors to both patients and their families, especially during the initial period of adjustment to a long term care setting. In many states, social workers must be licensed and may be required to have advanced degrees.
Dining Staff
There are a variety of career and employment options available in this segment of long term care. The Dining Services Manager oversees the dining staff and performs nutrition-related services to promote patients’ general health and well-being through the use of medical nutrition therapy and diagnostic assessment. They are responsible for the identification of patients’ dietary needs, and planning and implementation of dietary programs. Dietary aides, cooks, wait staff and other members of the Food Service staff are an important part of the nutritional well-being of the residents and patients.