Joyful Connections Coordinator

Joyful Connections Coordinator

2Life Communities Inc. | Brighton, MA

Position Overview

Joyful Connections is a key component of 2Life’s expressive therapy offerings. It is an afternoon social drop-in program for residents who are experiencing memory loss and their friends/care partners.

The goals of this meaningful program are to:

• Promote social connections
• Inspire creativity
• Create a sense of purpose for residents who may be isolated and have difficulty engaging in other community programs due to their cognitive impairment

Each two-hour session consists of components that are based on the Alzheimer’s Association’s recommendations for activity planning. These include:

• Physical activity
• Expressive therapy programming—including music, art, movement, and other creative approaches
• Preparation and/or consumption of a healthy snack

Programs are facilitated by the Joyful Connections Coordinator, expressive therapy student interns, and community specialists.

This position also includes expressive therapies pop-up events across 2Life campuses.

Specific Responsibilities

• Leading Joyful Connections activities and assisting staff, interns, and vendors who facilitate programs for Joyful Connections participants.
• Running Joyful Connections program at Brighton campus as well as expanding therapeutic arts programs across all 2Life Community campuses.
• Facilitating regular pop-up music therapy sessions at other 2Life campuses to help increase social engagement, promote emotional well-being, and enrich the quality of life for older adults.
• Helping group participants with tasks that they’re unable to perform due to physical limitations, cognitive impairment, or other barriers, including reminders to attend programs.
• Maintaining communication with internal and external staff/providers to ensure understanding and consistency in staff-resident relationships.
• Working closely with campus Resident Services staff and residents to outreach and generate referrals for the Joyful Connections program.
• Collaborating with Fitness, Spiritual Care, and Group Services Coordinator staff on joint projects to create integrated and inclusive resident care experiences.
• Collaborating with staff to maintain a friendly and positive environment for participants.
• Collaborating with the Fund Development team regarding expressive therapies grants to enhance the scope of the expressive therapy program, improve resident experiences, and seek resources to provide relevant expressive therapy trainings for staff and interns.
• Supervisory responsibilities for undergraduate expressive therapies student interns and program volunteers.
• Providing support and guidance to graduate expressive therapy interns in their clinical and expressive therapy work.
• Working closely with interpreters as needed to ensure that everyone in the group is included.
• Measuring the participation and engagement of residents in expressive therapies programs using the detailed expressive therapy encounter in Salesforce.

Requires 25% of regional travel to employer locations.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent in Expressive Arts Therapy or related field.

Must Have

• Experience working with older adults and/or individuals with cognitive impairment.
• Proven ability working with older adults, especially those with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia and other mental health challenges.
• Experience leading and facilitating resident groups.
• Experience with Microsoft Office and Google Docs Suites.