Activity Coordinator, Memory Care

VIVA Retirement Communities; Toronto; On-site; CAD 39,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wage: CAD 35.00 per hour

Vaccination required for COVID-19 (per

Accommodations available

Job summary

VIVA Leaside is seeking an Activity Coordinator, Memory Care to design and deliver meaningful engagement experiences for Community Members living with dementia. You will work with Memory Care, Lifestyle, and Wellness teams, families, volunteers, and partners to create a supportive, engaging, and joyful environment.

You will coordinate, deliver, and continuously enhance programs guided by the LUM!NA philosophy, ensuring dignity, independence, belonging, and quality of life for all residents.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies, Therapeutic Recreation, Recreation Therapy, Gerontology, Social Services, Activation, or related field.
• Minimum of three years of experience working with older adults in retirement living, long-term care, memory care, dementia care, recreation, therapeutic recreation, healthcare, or related community-based environment.
• Experience planning, coordinating, delivering, and evaluating meaningful engagement, recreation, or therapeutic programming.
• Experience supporting individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive impairment, or other memory-related conditions.
• Strong knowledge of person-centred dementia care, dementia-friendly practices, and meaningful engagement approaches.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate meaningful programs and experiences for Community Members.
• Develop daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, and special-event programming based on members’ stories and needs.
• Facilitate group and individual engagement opportunities that promote dignity, independence, connection, purpose, and belonging.
• Adapt programs to reflect changes in members’ interests, abilities, and cognitive needs.
• Create and maintain engaging activity calendars and related communications.

Skills

Creativity

Flexibility

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Education

Diploma or degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic health records

Job description

An Extraordinary Opportunity Awaits - V!VA Leaside Opens in 2026!

Would you like to fill your time with meaningful, fulfilling work for Seniors?

Join the exclusive launch team at V!VA Leaside - Toronto's premier luxury retirement residence

Craft a truly exceptional lifestyle experience from the ground up in one of the city's most prestigious neighbourhoods

Join a company that believes in Making Today Great!

Be a part of a distinguished founding team curating an exceptional lifestyle experience for our Community Members from day one

Surround yourself with excellence, compassion, and innovation - and discover why we are Happier Here!

Enjoy competitive salary, health benefits, team meals, vacation, sick pay, and more!

You.

You are a creative, compassionate, and highly organised professional who is passionate about supporting older adults living with dementia and helping them live each day with purpose, dignity, connection, and joy.

You understand that meaningful engagement is personal. You take the time to learn each Community Member's life story, interests, abilities, preferences, routines, and goals, and use that understanding to create experiences that are thoughtful, purposeful, and engaging.

You bring energy and imagination to your work while remaining patient, adaptable, and attentive to the changing needs of Community Members. Whether you are leading a group activity, providing one-to-one engagement, planning a special event, working with families, or collaborating with Team Members, you approach every interaction with empathy, professionalism, and respect.

As a collaborative Team Member, you embrace V!VA's purpose of Making Today Great! and are committed to creating meaningful experiences for Community Members, families, volunteers, and fellow Team Members.

Us.

At V!VA Retirement Communities, we believe life is meant to be lived with purpose, connection, and joy. Our mission is simple: Making Today Great!

We create vibrant communities where Community Members can thrive, build meaningful relationships, and enjoy life to the fullest. Our Team Members are at the heart of everything we do, bringing compassion, creativity, excellence, and a genuine commitment to service every day.

At V!VA, we put people first. We believe in supporting one another, celebrating successes, and creating an environment where Community Members and Team Members alike can thrive.

If you share our passion for exceptional service, meaningful relationships, and making a positive difference in the lives of others, we would love to hear from you.

The Career

As the Activity Coordinator, Memory Care at V!VA Leaside, you will coordinate, deliver, and continuously enhance meaningful engagement experiences within our LUM!NA Memory Care neighbourhood.

Guided by the LUM!NA philosophy, you will develop purposeful, person-centred experiences that promote dignity, independence, connection, belonging, and quality of life for Community Members living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive impairment, and other memory-related conditions.

You will work closely with the Memory Care, Lifestyle, and Wellness Teams, as well as families, volunteers, community partners, and Community Leadership, to create a vibrant and supportive environment where every Community Member has opportunities to participate, contribute, connect, and thrive.

Reporting to the Director of Memory Care, you will serve as a day-to-day resource and champion for meaningful engagement, dementia-friendly practices, and person-centred approaches throughout the Community

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate meaningful programs and experiences that support the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, spiritual, and purposeful well-being of Community Members.
• Develop a variety of daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, and special-event programming based on Community Members' life stories, interests, abilities, preferences, routines, and goals.
• Facilitate group and individual engagement opportunities that promote dignity, independence, connection, purpose, and belonging.
• Adapt programs and engagement approaches to reflect changes in Community Members' interests, abilities, communication preferences, and cognitive needs.
• Create and maintain engaging activity calendars, programming schedules, participation records, and related communication materials.
• Gather and document Community Member life stories, personal histories, interests, strengths, routines, and engagement goals.
• Build positive and collaborative relationships with families, care partners, and substitute decision-makers.
• Encourage family participation in programs, events, celebrations, and other meaningful engagement opportunities.
• Source and coordinate entertainers, volunteers, community partners, schools, intergenerational groups, and external resources.
• Collaborate with the Memory Care, Lifestyle, and Wellness Teams to support consistent and individualised Community Member experiences.
• Share successful engagement strategies, Community Member preferences, and meaningful life-story information with Team Members.
• Support the orientation, education, and ongoing development of Team Members, students, volunteers, and community partners regarding dementia-friendly practices and meaningful engagement.
• Monitor program participation, outcomes, and Community Member satisfaction to support continuous improvement and innovation.
• Manage program supplies, equipment, educational resources, entertainers, and external service providers.
• Support volunteer recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, recognition, and retention.
• Support Community-wide events, celebrations, special projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Promote safe and inclusive programming by identifying potential risks and implementing appropriate safeguards.
• Recognise, document, and promptly communicate changes in a Community Member's participation, cognition, behaviour, condition, or overall well-being.
• Follow all health and safety, emergency preparedness, Infection Prevention and Control, documentation, privacy, and confidentiality requirements.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• A post-secondary diploma or degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies, Therapeutic Recreation, Recreation Therapy, Gerontology, Social Services, Activation, or a related field.
• A minimum of three years of experience working with older adults in retirement living, long-term care, memory care, dementia care, recreation, therapeutic recreation, healthcare, or a related community-based environment.
• Experience planning, coordinating, delivering, and evaluating meaningful engagement, recreation, or therapeutic programming.
• Experience supporting individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive impairment, or other memory-related conditions.
• Strong knowledge of person-centred dementia care, dementia-friendly practices, and meaningful engagement approaches.
• Experience coordinating volunteers, community partnerships, intergenerational initiatives, or special events.
• Creativity, flexibility, adaptability, and a passion for developing purposeful experiences that enhance quality of life.
• Strong relationship-building, collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational, planning, prioritisation, and time-management skills.
• The ability to work independently while contributing effectively within an interdisciplinary team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and Copilot.
• Experience using electronic health records and related documentation systems.
• Current CPR certification.
• A satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening completed within six months before hire.
• The ability to bend, stretch, sit, stand, walk, and participate actively in programming for extended periods.
• The ability to safely lift and move up to 50 lbs.
• The flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.

Additional education, training, or certification in Dementia Care, Gerontology, Recreation Therapy, Alzheimer’s care, or a related discipline is considered an asset.

Training or certification in Gentle Persuasive Approaches, U-First!, PIECES, DementiAbility, Montessori dementia programming, Validation Therapy, or another dementia-specific approach is also considered an asset.

Join Us!

If you are ready to bring your creativity, compassion, and passion for meaningful engagement to V!VA Leaside, help us create an extraordinary LUM!NA Memory Care experience from day one.

V!VA Retirement Communities welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Successful Applicants will be required to show proof of eligibility to work in Canada for the next 6 months.

V!VA Retirement Communities operates within the vulnerable sector and the well-being of our community members and team members is important. For this reason, V!VA Retirement Communities requires all new team members are vaccinated for COVID-19.

Accommodation, including for those who cannot be vaccinated for COVID-19 due to religious or medical reasons, will be provided in accordance with V!VA Retirement's obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code, as amended from time to time, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, as amended from time to time.

Additional Information

• Wage: $35.00 per Hour
• We use AI tools in screening applications
• Vacancy Status: New