Life Enrichment Aide

Care Village; Newmarket; Hybrid; CAD 32,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

Extendicare is seeking a Life Enrichment aide to support recreation programs in a long-term care home. You will help create and deliver monthly calendars, assist residents in activities, and work with the care team to monitor needs and safety.

Flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, and a supportive, mission-driven environment. We value volunteers and a collaborative approach to resident well-being.

Qualifications

• Have a post-secondary diploma, degree, or certificate in recreation and leisure studies, therapeutic recreation, kinesiology, gerontology, or another related field from an Ontario post-secondary institution.
• Ability to work safely, following established practices and procedures.
• Ability to read and write English and to understand moderately complex verbal and written instructions in English.
• Ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with others on the care team.
• Ability to include volunteers in programs and recognize the merit of their position.
• To oversee the volunteers on their work unit as staff liaison.
• Good physical and mental health.
• Enthusiastic interaction with residents and family.
• Demonstrates maturity and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Implements and evaluates both individual and group recreation program based on assess needs.
• Sets up and cleans the activity area as necessary and transports residents to and from programs.
• Monitors the behavior and condition of all residents during programs, reporting any significant changes to the Life Enrichment Director and nursing staff as appropriate.
• Participates in care conferences and other committees as required to assist in assessing recreation needs of residents.
• Attends in-service education programs.
• Participates in initial admission assessment of residents and in Interdisciplinary Care Conferences to determine activation needs.
• Maintains awareness of changes in the condition or behavior of residents in order to modify programs; notifies nursing staff of observed changes.
• Maintains records of initial assessments and programs for each resident and reviews and updates on a regular basis.
• Prepare and submit the monthly program calendar at least two weeks prior to the end of each month, ensuring it reflects resident interests, needs, and seasonal or special events.
• Participates in development and revision of programs under the guidance of the Life Enrichment Director.
• Maintains program and resident records according to department policy.
• Communicates participation by residents to registered staff.
• Adheres to established department policies and procedures regarding quality assurance, fire safety, environment and infection control.
• Works cooperatively with other departments to meet resident needs.
• Maintain record of attendance for activity programs on a daily basis.
• Document in the resident’s progress notes, MDS, RAP, Care Plans within 7 days of the resident’s assessment being opened.
• Prepare, set-up, assist and finish projects as necessary for residents, i.e. crafts, baking, art, etc.
• Decorate and set-up for special occasions.
• Adhere to the program purchasing policy when planning or implementing programs.
• Assist in dining rooms with residents who require 1-1 supervision with eating assistance.
• Practice good body mechanics.
• Adheres to lifting policies and procedures.
• Report incidents, accidents, hazardous situations or unsafe equipment promptly to department head or nurse in charge and assist in corrective action.
• Attend all mandatory in-services, i.e. WHMIS, Infection Control, Fire, etc and follow the policies of the home.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Post-secondary diploma in recreation &

English literacy

Teamwork

Education

Ontario post-secondary diploma in related field

Job description

SCOPE

Job Description SCOPE Reports to the Life Enrichment Director. Creates monthly calendars and implements recreation programs to meet the various physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual needs of residents and assists in monitoring their need. Ensure residents safety by following established policies and procedures.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Implements and evaluates both individual and group recreation program based on assess needs.
• Sets up and cleans the activity area as necessary and transports residents to and from programs.
• Monitors the behavior and condition of all residents during programs, reporting any significant changes to the Life Enrichment Director and nursing staff as appropriate.
• Participates in care conferences and other committees as required to assist in assessing recreation needs of residents.
• Attends in-service education programs.
• Participates in initial admission assessment of residents and in Interdisciplinary Care Conferences to determine activation needs.
• Maintains awareness of changes in the condition or behavior of residents in order to modify programs; notifies nursing staff of observed changes.
• Maintains records of initial assessments and programs for each resident and reviews and updates on a regular basis.
• Prepare and submit the monthly program calendar at least two weeks prior to the end of each month, ensuring it reflects resident interests, needs, and seasonal or special events.
• Participates in development and revision of programs under the guidance of the Life Enrichment Director.
• Maintains program and resident records according to department policy.
• Communicates participation by residents to registered staff.
• Adheres to established department policies and procedures regarding quality assurance, fire safety, environment and infection control.
• Works cooperatively with other departments to meet resident needs.
• Maintain record of attendance for activity programs on a daily basis.
• Document in the resident’s progress notes, MDS, RAP, Care Plans within 7 days of the resident’s assessment being opened.
• Prepare, set-up, assist and finish projects as necessary for residents, i.e. crafts, baking, art, etc.
• Decorate and set-up for special occasions.
• Adhere to the program purchasing policy when planning or implementing programs.
• Assist in dining rooms with residents who require 1-1 supervision with eating assistance.
• Practice good body mechanics.
• Adheres to lifting policies and procedures.
• Report incidents, accidents, hazardous situations or unsafe equipment promptly to department head or nurse in charge and assist in corrective action.
• Attend all mandatory in-services, i.e. WHMIS, Infection Control, Fire, etc and follow the policies of the home.
• Other duties as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Some lifting, pushing involved in setting up for activities.
• Some requirement for lift transfers of residents.
• May be exposed to variety of weather conditions on scheduled outing.
• Working environment has cats.
• Frequent use of visual and auditory senses to monitor residents’ responses to activities.
• Requirement for evening and weekend work on occasions.
• Regular stress associated with dealing with needs of long term care residents.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE

Have a post-secondary diploma, degree, or certificate in recreation and leisure studies, therapeutic recreation, kinesiology, gerontology, or another related field from an Ontario post-secondary institution. Ability to work safely, following established practices and procedures. Ability to read and write English and to understand moderately complex verbal and written instructions in English. Ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with others on the care team. Ability to include volunteers in programs and recognize the merit of their position. To oversee the volunteers on their work unit as staff liaison. Good physical and mental health. Enthusiastic interaction with residents and family. Demonstrates maturity and reliability.

ON-CALL

To take on the job description of Life Enrichment aide they are replacing. To work for F/T or P/T staff when they are ill, have lieu days, union days or vacation days. To work the hours of activity aide they are replacing.

Time Type Part time Compensation Details

$22.95 - $25.80

We are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents in our long-term care home. When you join us, you become part of a compassionate, mission-driven team committed to creating a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for every resident we serve. We provide competitive compensation that reflects the value of this role and the unique qualifications each candidate brings. Final salary offers are based on a variety of factors such as your skills, experience, education, and alignment with the responsibilities of this position. Base salary is one component of our broader total rewards package. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to support your health, financial well-being, and long-term career growth. Your recruiter can provide more details about our total rewards offerings during the hiring process. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support certain stages of the recruitment process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing candidate responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment — every application is reviewed by a member of our team to ensure thoughtful and equitable consideration. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to respectful and inclusive hiring practices. We welcome all applicants, including those from equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous peoples, women, people with disabilities, and visible minorities. We are committed to fostering an accessible, inclusive, and equitable hiring process. We will gladly accommodate the needs of applicants throughout all stages of the recruitment process upon request and in accordance with applicable legislation. If you require support during any stage of the process, email us at [e-mail].

We acknowledge that the care we provide across Canada occurs on lands that have been cared for by many Indigenous peoples for generations. We recognize First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and their enduring connection to this land, and the importance of respect and cultural safety in the work we do.

Extendicare is a leading provider of care and services for seniors across Canada, operating under the Extendicare, ParaMed, Extendicare Assist, and SGP Purchasing Network brands. We are committed to delivering quality care to meet the needs of the growing seniors’ population, inspired by our mission to provide people with the care they need, wherever they call home. We operate a network of 99 long-term care homes (59 owned, 40 under management contracts), deliver approximately 14.0 million hours of home health care services annually, and provide group purchasing services to third parties representing approximately 153,600 beds across Canada. Extendicare proudly employs approximately 23,000 individuals and manages an additional 5,000 joint venture employees, all of whom are highly qualified, trained and dedicated team members and passionate about providing high-quality care and services to help people live better.

Our Mission

To provide people with the care they need, wherever they call home.

Our Vision

Everyone in Canada has access to the care and support they need to live their best lives.

Our Values

We embrace every person for the individual they are. We care for each person as we would our own family. We collaborate with others because we achieve more together. We are relentless in our efforts to improve. We respect the resources entrusted to us.