Life Enrichment Assistant

Cascade Park Gardens; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid Time Off

401k 50% match up to 3%

Free Meal

Paid Holidays

Referral bonus

Job summary

Cascade Park Gardens in Tacoma, WA, is seeking a Life Enrichment Assistant to join our Activities Team. You will create meaningful experiences for adults with complex needs, building trust and delivering engaging recreational, social, and therapeutic activities on a daily basis.

You will collaborate with caregivers and other departments, support meals when needed, and help foster a warm, inclusive community. Certification as an HCA/CNA is preferred or obtainable during employment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• HCA or CNA certification (or willingness to obtain).
• Experience with older adults or behavioral health needs preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to meet physical demands of an active position.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead daily recreational, social, educational, and therapeutic activities.
• Build meaningful relationships with residents and learn their interests.
• Encourage participation and adapt activities to individual needs.
• Create opportunities for connection, accomplishment, laughter, and joy.
• Observe engagement and communicate changes to care team.
• Support meals and dining room activities when needed.

Skills

Compassionate

Patient

Creative

Flexible

Positive

Calm under pressure

Team player

Genuine

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

HCA or CNA certification

Job description

• Location 4347 South Union Ave.,Tacoma, WA, 98409,United States
• Base Pay $18.80 - $21.80 / Hour
• Industry healthcare, senior living, assisted living
• Employee Type Non-Exempt
• Manage Others No

Description

Do you enjoy making meaningful connections, bringing smiles to others, and finding creative ways to brighten someone's day? Do you believe that everyone deserves opportunities for purpose, connection, laughter, and joy, no matter what challenges they may be facing?

If so, we'd love to meet you!

At Cascade Park Gardens, we're looking for a compassionate, creative, and flexible Life Enrichment Assistant to join our Activities Team. In this role, you'll help create meaningful experiences and memorable moments for adults living with behavioral health diagnoses, dementia, and other complex needs.

This is more than planning activities or filling a calendar. It's about getting to know people, discovering what brings them joy, building trust, and making each day a little brighter. Sometimes that means leading a fun group activity, sharing a laugh, offering a listening ear, or simply spending a few extra moments with someone who needs connection. The little things often make the biggest difference!

Working alongside the Activities Director and the rest of our team, you'll help bring engaging recreational, social, educational, and therapeutic programs to life. You'll also be an important part of our broader community, occasionally supporting meal service and resident care needs. We value teamwork, flexibility, and people who are willing to lend a hand wherever they're needed.

No two days are exactly alike, and that's part of what makes this opportunity so special!

What You'll Do

• Help plan and bring to life daily recreational, social, educational, and therapeutic activities.
• Build meaningful, positive relationships with residents, taking the time to learn about their personalities, interests, and abilities.
• Encourage participation while adapting activities to meet individual needs, preferences, and changing moods.
• Create opportunities for residents to experience connection, accomplishment, laughter, and joy.
• Observe resident engagement and communicate changes or concerns to the Activities Director and care team.
• Help make holidays, birthdays, special events, outings, and everyday moments memorable.
• Contribute to a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment throughout the community.
• Lend a hand with meal service and dining room activities when needed.
• Provide occasional hands‑on resident assistance within the scope of your training and certification.
• Work closely with caregivers, nursing, dietary, housekeeping, and other departments to support the well‑being of our residents.
• Help maintain activity supplies, equipment, and required documentation.
• Bring a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, and a team‑oriented spirit to each day.

What Helps You Thrive in This Role?

We're looking for someone who brings more than just experience. The right person is someone who genuinely enjoys working with people and understands that every individual has something special to offer.

You may be a great fit if you are:

• Compassionate: You treat everyone with kindness, dignity, and respect.
• Patient: You understand that meaningful connections take time.
• Creative: You enjoy coming up with new ideas and finding ways to make everyday moments special.
• Flexible: You're comfortable adjusting plans and going with the flow when the day takes an unexpected turn.
• Positive: You bring warmth, encouragement, and a little fun wherever you go.
• Calm under pressure: You can navigate challenging moments with understanding and grace.
• A team player: You're willing to pitch in, support your coworkers, and help wherever you're needed.
• Genuine: You care about making a difference in the lives of others.

A good sense of humor is always welcome, too!

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Current Home Care Aide (HCA) or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification, or willingness to obtain certification while employed.
• Experience working with older adults, individuals with behavioral health needs, dementia, developmental disabilities, or mental health challenges is preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently while also contributing to a collaborative team.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of an active position, including standing, walking, bending, lifting, and assisting residents as needed.

Why HCA or CNA Certification?

Because this role is about supporting the whole person!

While your primary focus will be creating meaningful experiences and enriching residents' daily lives, there will be times when you'll also help with meals, provide resident support, or lend a hand to our caregiving team.

Having an HCA or CNA certification allows you to provide this additional support when needed. If you don't currently have your certification, that's okay! We're willing to help you obtain it while you're employed.

Come Make a Difference With Us!

At Cascade Park Gardens, we know that meaningful moments don't always come from big events or elaborate activities. Sometimes they're found in a shared laugh, a favorite song, a friendly conversation, or simply knowing someone took the time to care.

We're looking for someone who sees the value in those moments and wants to be part of creating them.

If you're compassionate, adaptable, enjoy thinking outside the box, and want to make a positive difference in someone's everyday life, we'd love to welcome you to our team!

Summary

What We Offer:

Benefits: (Health benefits are for interested Full-Time employees only)

• Medical
• Vision
• Life Insurance
  • $15,000 of free life insurance
  • Employees may purchase additional life insurance for themselves, their spouse, and/or children
• Critical Illness
• Hospital Gap Plan

Other benefits for all employees:

• Room for advancement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off
• Payroll Advance Card
• Free Meal
• 401k
  
  • 401k 50% match up to 3%
• Paid Holidays
  • Employees who work the following holidays will be paid time and a half.
    • New Year's Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
      
• Referral bonus of $100-200
• Overtime
• Discretionary shift incentive of $25-$100 based on staffing needs
• Paid mandatory training (including Orientation and Safety, CPR, and more)
• In-house HCA Training
• Paid CEUs
• Sunshine Fund (Employee Short-Term no-interest loans)

Cascade Senior Living Services (CSLS) is committed to nondiscrimination in employment and opportunity based on age, sex, color, race, national origin, religious persuasion, marital status, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political belief, disability, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

For more information about Cascade Senior Living Services, or to apply online, please visit our website at cascade-careers.com.