What does an activities aide do?
An activity aide is responsible for facilitating recreation activities under the supervision of a recreation leader within nursing homes or other related institutions. Activity aides ensure the adequacy of resources and supplies according to the activity's instructions and budget limitations. They also reiterate the safety protocols and guidelines to the participants, as well as conducting inspections of the facilities to prevent potential hazards. An activity aide must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and escalating concerns for immediate resolution.
Activities aide responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real activities aide resumes:
- Prevent or manage aggressive behavior among individuals and administer CPR in emergency intervention.
- Prepare activities - baking, bingo, therapeutic chores, range of motion, table games, etc.
- Assist residents of the facility with every day activities such as board games, checkers, and community bingo.
- Launch new division of ministry and set precedent for new groups focuse on follow up and recruiting new leaders.
- Supervise activities gear toward residents with severe dementia and Alzheimer's such as sing-a-long, current events and live entertainment.
- Plan activities, take residents on trips, fed residents, transport residents, supervise Alzheimer's activities, prepare meals
- Partner with children's ministry leader to provide care for children in the church nursery during church services and events.
- Provide medical care and assistance with personal hygiene to elder and/or handicap patients of varying medical diagnosis.
- Work closely with recreational therapists to ensure each resident have daily activities that challenge patients physically and mentally.
- Coordinate social and educational opportunities for physician alumni in association with residency programs to build loyalty to the organization.
- Develop system wide physician alumni program to engage alumni in the organization's priorities of community benefit and philanthropy.
- Plan activities base on assign student's IEP to encourage appropriate independence and facilitate/support student's participation in all activities.
- Prepare regular charts on patient's health relate history, medication restrictions and allergies.
- Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise kindergarten or elementary school programs.
Activities aide skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Activities Aides are proficient in Patients, Rehabilitation, and PET. They’re also known for soft skills such as Flexibility, Physical strength, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Activities Aides that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 18%
Worked closely with recreational therapists to ensure each resident had daily activities that challenged patients physically and mentally.
- Rehabilitation, 14%
Provided assigned rehabilitation activities for clients according to their Treatment Plans to facilitate them in meeting their discharge criteria.
- PET, 12%
Plant and Pet care, Will be expected to participate in Department in-service training.
- Nursing Home, 10%
Assisted Activity Director in conducting activities for nursing home residents.
- Compassion, 7%
Helped residents feel good about themselves through my caring and compassion and maintain independence through activities.
- Taking Care, 5%
Assisted with taking care of the kids during summer activities.
"patients," "rehabilitation," and "pet" are among the most common skills that activities aides use at work. You can find even more activities aide responsibilities below, including:
Flexibility. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an activities aide to have is flexibility. Their role and responsibilities require that "recreation workers must be flexible when planning activities." Activities aides often use flexibility in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "cited for excellence in interpersonal communications, teamwork, customer service, flexibility and reliability. "
Physical strength. Many activities aide duties rely on physical strength. "most recreation workers should be physically fit," so an activities aide will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways activities aide responsibilities rely on physical strength: "document and report daily resident participation and any physical or mental changes. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of activities aides is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday activities aide duties, as "recreation workers must be able to communicate well." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "team player basic computer knowledge front desk experience first aid/cpr/aed certified excellent communication skills great organization skills"
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what activities aides do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to activities aide responsibilities because "recreation workers need strong problem-solving skills." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical activities aide tasks: "provide crisis intervention and conflict resolution in matters amongst clients. "
Leadership skills. Another common skill required for activities aide responsibilities is "leadership skills." This skill comes up in the duties of activities aides all the time, as "recreation workers should be able to lead both large and small groups." An excerpt from a real activities aide resume shows how this skill is central to what an activities aide does: "provided and maintained high level of customer service arranged activities leadership client relations"
The three companies that hire the most activities aides are:
- The Center for Health Care Services40 activities aides jobs
- Guardian Healthcare14 activities aides jobs
- Regency Health Services Inc13 activities aides jobs
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Compare different activities aides
Activities aide vs. Day camp counselor
The job of the camp counselors is to develop recreational plans and oversee camp activities in residential camps. Their duties and responsibilities include organizing camping trips, planning and scheduling group activities, and guiding children and teenagers in various outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. They are expected to lead campers in emergency procedures and fire drills, explain safety rules and procedures, and provide emotional support to campers. Camp counselors are also responsible for assessing and responding to emergencies when they arise.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an activities aide are more likely to require skills like "patients," "rehabilitation," "nursing home," and "compassion." On the other hand, a job as a day camp counselor requires skills like "kids," "cleanliness," "leadership," and "direct supervision." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Day camp counselors really shine in the education industry with an average salary of $34,530. Comparatively, activities aides tend to make the most money in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $30,533.The education levels that day camp counselors earn slightly differ from activities aides. In particular, day camp counselors are 5.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an activities aide. Additionally, they're 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Activities aide vs. Camp counselor
Camp counselors' general responsibility is the supervision of a camping event. Camp counselors' duties include reiterating the rules and regulations, emergency drills and procedures, and related standard protocols to ensure that the campers maintain a safe camping environment. A camp counselor should possess strong leadership and decision-making skills to develop recreational programs and immediately resolve concerns that might affect everyone's overall camping experience. Camp counselors also help develop social interaction, promote teamwork, and monitor participation among campers.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real activities aide resumes. While activities aide responsibilities can utilize skills like "patients," "rehabilitation," "pet," and "nursing home," camp counselors use skills like "kids," "summer camps," "role model," and "child care."
Camp counselors may earn a lower salary than activities aides, but camp counselors earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $29,249. On the other hand, activities aides receive higher pay in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $30,533.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Camp counselors tend to reach similar levels of education than activities aides. In fact, they're 2.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Activities aide vs. Senior counselor
The responsibilities of a senior counselor will depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Most of the time, a senior counselor works with the youth, particularly children. They focus on facilitating recreational programs, ensuring a safe and fun experience for them. They may also assess the children's condition and needs, providing them with the necessary assistance and guidance. Furthermore, when a senior counselor must reach out to parents and guardians, they may inform them of any concerns or progress.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, activities aides are more likely to have skills like "rehabilitation," "pet," "nursing home," and "compassion." But a senior counselor is more likely to have skills like "litigation," "legal advice," "legal issues," and "legal support."
When it comes to education, senior counselors tend to earn higher degree levels compared to activities aides. In fact, they're 10.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 18.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Activities aide vs. Camp director
A camp director spearheads and oversees the operations of recreational camps and their programs. They manage the camps' daily activities and supervise the employees, ensuring that campers get to receive optimal services and experience. A camp director is mostly responsible for setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and timelines, planning events and activities, liaising with internal and external parties, and building strong relationships with business partners. Moreover, a camp director leads and motivates staff to reach goals, all while implementing the camps' safety policies and regulations.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between activities aides and camp directors, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an activities aide might have more use for skills like "patients," "rehabilitation," "pet," and "nursing home." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of camp directors require skills like "role model," "safety procedures," "kids," and "staff supervision. "
In general, camp directors earn the most working in the education industry, with an average salary of $37,701. The highest-paying industry for an activities aide is the manufacturing industry.In general, camp directors hold higher degree levels compared to activities aides. Camp directors are 9.6% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of activities aide
Updated January 8, 2025
