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Sunya
Activity Director
Sherry Newcome
Life Enrichment Manager
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Hello everyone. I have questions? In your facility they are short on CNAs. You have an memory care activity assistant. They pull from activities to work on the floor. But, residents go without activities due to them pulling your assistant nearly every day. You as the Activity director is trying to cover for the main and memory care. What do you do? When is enough a enough? How would you approach this issue? Because I have told them to stop. I have done everything. Am I wrong for telling them my assistant was hired for the activity department? Any advice
Hi Sunya
This is a difficult situation
Ask yourself, is everyone doing their job or do you have people not necessarily in your department who are slacking off?
If everyone is working hard, then you need to think outside the box
Even though it’s not right for the administration to keep pulling your activity person from you i’m guessing that the facility does not have a lot of spare money and they’re just trying to survive
Have you tried to get volunteers or family members to help you?
Perhaps you can suggest hiring a per diem person to help when they have to take your regular activity person away
Are you willing to give up some of your salary or your job for that matter?
You could report the facility to the state, but that could get you into trouble
Do you have any staff members not in your department who are on your side and are willing to help you fight the fight
Hi, did not know who you report to, but say you are willing to compromise so that you can have an activity person most of the time
You could have a grooming group that would help residents get ready for the day
https://www.goldencarers.com/the-importance-of-daily-living-activities-for-the-elderly/5052/
Another idea might be to get high functioning residence to help run a group
If you have any more questions about what I suggested, feel free to ask
I'm in SNF, so my situation might be different, but this is exactly why I don't hire CNAs to work in activities any more. In SNF, non-CNAs aren't allowed to do any sort of personal cares like feeding, dressing, bathing, toileting, walking, transfers, etc. That said, I used to have my staff pulled all of the time - which is why I changed my hiring practices.