Art Therapist

The Bristal at Englewood; Englewood (NJ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bristal at Englewood is seeking a creative lifestyle professional to develop and lead art therapy activities for residents. You will design individualized and group sessions using painting, drawing, sculpture and other modalities to support physical, cognitive and emotional well-being.

Responsibilities include coordinating calendars and communications, maintaining a safe environment, and staying current with best practices in dementia care.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or better.
• Experience with dementia care or geriatric recreation preferred.
• Ability to lead group and individual art therapy sessions.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing new and stimulating activities in specialty areas and coordinate resident involvement.
• Prepare and distribute monthly calendars, newsletters, and memos.
• Develop and implement individualized and group art therapy sessions.
• Foster self-expression and improve mental health through visual arts.
• Lead activities independently when needed and maintain a safe environment.

Skills

Art therapy

Activity planning

Interpersonal skills

Group facilitation

Education

High School or better

Tools

AV equipment

Job description

• Assists in developing new and stimulating activities in specialty area/s and encourage and coordinate Resident involvement.
• Assist Residents in their adjustments to a new concept of lifestyle as well as in the continuation of interests, hobbies and activities they may have previously pursued.
• Help prepare, print and distribute copies of monthly calendar, newsletters and memos to Resident
• Develop and implement individualized and group art therapy sessions tailored to residents’ physical, cognitive, and emotional needs
• Utilize creative art modalities—painting, drawing, sculpting, and mixed media—to foster self-expression, reduce stress, and improve mental health
• Facilitate/lead planned activities independently, facilitating parallel programming/activities while Lifestyle Director or fellow Lifestyle Coordinators are leading programs elsewhere in the community.
• Maintain a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment during all art therapy sessions.
• Stay current with best practices in art therapy, geriatric care, and dementia care.
• Proactively seek out and engage with residents in small groups or one-on-one programs during periods when not actively scheduled to lead another program.
• Encourage and cultivate positive social engagement among both colleagues and residents.
• Become fully conversant with audio/visual equipment necessary to run the Programming Department, i.e., DVD/VCR, amplifiers, tape decks, microphones and sound systems, etc.
• Collect and categorize Resident monies for special activities or events run and planned by the Programming Department.
• Maintain knowledge of Residents’ backgrounds, hobbies, special interests, and languages spoken, etc., and uses this knowledge to encourage Resident involvement.
• Inform Lifestyle Director after each activity or assignment via conversation, memo left at desk, etc., on the overall success, Resident participation rate and/or any problems that may have occurred or could be eliminated in the future.
• Attend in-services and educational seminars to enhance knowledge of dementia and recreation programs, including monthly calendar planning sessions.
• Perform other tasks and/or assists in other departments as assigned by the Lifestyle Director, Director of Reflections, Executive Director/General Manager, or supervisor on duty.

Qualifications

Education

Required

High School or better.

Licenses & Certifications

Preferred

Dance Therapist

Art Therapist

Equal Opportunity Employer
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