Activities assistant is the ‘star of the show’

From housekeeping to physical therapy, every player on a skilled nursing facility team is essential to providing a clean, safe, warm and effective place where residents can live temporarily or for long term.

The activities staff at SKLD will tell you, though, they’re the ones whose jobs tend to be the most unconventional and the most fun.

SKLD Beltline’s Whitney Kranz says key to meaningful activities is paying attention to what the residents want. “In the views of the residents and people we serve, our job is to bring happiness. When one resident would see me he’d say, ‘there’s the star of the show.’ I believe that’s because we bring a different type of light.”

Bringing light to residents as activities staff

SKLD Beltline’s Whitney Kranz

Whitney’s been on the SKLD Beltline team since 2017, and says that especially during the pandemic, staff has had to think out of the box to bring enjoyable activities to the residents. For example, Whitney says, “I’ve always been a really creative person. We received these plush pet toys and a light-bulb went off to create a dog park where all the residents bring their plush pet.”

Pretty much anything goes when it comes to the tasks Whitney will tackle. That’s because she considers it her job to recognize communal needs. “During quarantine, the vending machine was running low so I would go shopping once a week at Meijer to get whatever the residents wanted.”

When it was too cold to go outside over the winter, Whitney had the idea of ordering a sun lamp. She says, “That way on the darker days we could still bring the residents some sunshine.” Another way to bring in the sunlight is the communal grow lamp for their garden. “This thing is saving my life. It makes such a difference to the residents to keep their spirits high.”

Gardening is a personal hobby of Whitney’s, and she loves to share it with the residents. She says, “Our garden really comes full circle. We plant marigolds every year, watch them bloom and then in the fall we dry them, harvest the seeds and put them up for winter. Then in the spring again we plant them again. It’s a hands-on activity that the residents love.”

For any group activity, Whitney tries to incorporate a musical element. Whitney says, “I always bring music with me either on an iPad, a radio or on the TV. It keeps everyone lively and pumped up.”

Skilled nursing activities staff use patience and persistence to support residents

It takes a special person to work with the senior community and takes a great deal of patience. She says, “Prior to working with SKLD I worked in mental health with people who have disabilities, have an illness or were in prison. I learned a lot about how to approach different people. This meant being patient and allowing them to do what they are capable of with encouragement rather than doing it for them.” 

That experience comes in handy now as residents sometimes need some encouragement to join and thrive in group activities. “Sometimes residents with memory loss can get frustrated and say, ‘what am I doing again?’ I make sure to keep people encouraged and give them support when they need it,” Whitney says.

Ultimately, Whitney says, “It’s important to know how to relate to each individual and inspire them to slowly open up to find something they will enjoy.”

Find out about open positions at SKLD Beltline. Click here to contact SKLD Beltline.