Recreation Leader – Hillcrest Shadow Lake
Location: Papillion, NE
Service Line: Hillcrest Shadow Lake
Schedule: Full-time Days
Hillcrest Health & Living is looking for an energetic, creative, and compassionate Recreation Leader to join our team at Hillcrest Shadow Lake in Papillion, NE.
Hillcrest Shadow Lake provides senior living and healthcare services in a welcoming environment where residents are encouraged to stay active, connected, and engaged in the things that bring meaning and enjoyment to their lives.
At Hillcrest, our mission is simple: Inspiring people to live their best lives. As a Recreation Leader, you will help bring that mission to life by creating meaningful recreational experiences that support residents’ interests, abilities, social connections, and overall quality of life.
What You’ll Do
As a Recreation Leader, you will help plan, organize, and lead therapeutic recreation programs and individualized activities based on each resident’s interests, abilities, and assessed leisure needs. You will also complete the documentation needed to support individualized recreation programming.
You will:
- Develop, implement, and lead group and individual recreation programs based on resident interests and abilities.
- Create engaging activities that encourage residents to stay active, social, creative, and connected.
- Complete initial leisure assessments and assist with MDS documentation, interdisciplinary team summaries, and care planning as needed.
- Provide one-on-one recreation programming for residents who may benefit from individualized activities.
- Provide sensory enrichment activities based on individual resident needs.
- Assist with planning and scheduling recreation programming, including participation in weekly planning sessions.
- Encourage residents to participate while respecting individual choices, preferences, and abilities.
- Assist residents to and from scheduled and spontaneous recreation programs using safe transportation procedures.
- Set up materials and spaces for daily recreation programs and independent activities.
- Clean and organize activity areas and materials after programming.
- Document resident participation following group and individual recreation sessions.
- Work with volunteers by providing direction, encouragement, mentoring, and support.
- Build positive relationships with volunteers and help coordinate volunteer schedules.
- Maintain recreation supplies, including games, puzzles, magazines, and activity materials.
- Assist with purchasing and inventorying recreation supplies when needed.
- Put up and take down seasonal and holiday decorations while following applicable fire-safety requirements.
- Partner with nursing, clinical, and other community team members to support residents’ individual needs.
- Assist with additional recreation programs, special events, and community activities as needed.
The position combines hands-on activity leadership with individualized programming, assessments, documentation, resident transportation, volunteer coordination, and recreation planning.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who is creative, outgoing, dependable, and genuinely enjoys building relationships with aging adults.
The right candidate will understand that recreation is more than keeping people busy. Meaningful activities can help residents maintain independence, build connections, express themselves, stay physically and mentally engaged, and continue doing the things they enjoy.
Ideal candidates will have:
- Previous experience in recreation, activities, senior living, healthcare, hospitality, education, childcare, or a similar people-focused environment.
- Experience developing or leading recreational programs for aging adults preferred.
- A creative approach to developing activities for individuals with different interests and abilities.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
- A warm, positive, and encouraging approach when working with residents.
- Ability to comfortably lead both group activities and one-on-one programming.
- Strong organization and time-management skills.
- Ability to prepare activity spaces, materials, schedules, and documentation.
- Strong attention to resident preferences and individual needs.
- Ability to encourage participation without pressuring residents.
- A calm, flexible, and professional approach when plans or resident needs change.
- Strong teamwork and willingness to collaborate across departments.
- Comfort using technology and completing required documentation.
- Musical interests or the ability to play a musical instrument are a plus.
Education & Experience
- High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
- One year of experience providing recreational programming for aging adults or in a similar setting preferred.
- Recreation therapy certification preferred.
- Music background and ability to play an instrument preferred.
- Valid driver’s license preferred.
Why Hillcrest?
At Hillcrest Shadow Lake, recreation is an important part of helping residents maintain connection, independence, purpose, and enjoyment in their everyday lives.
As a Recreation Leader, you will have the opportunity to learn what matters to each resident and turn those interests into meaningful experiences. One day may include leading a group program, while another may involve spending one-on-one time with a resident, planning an event, working with volunteers, or helping someone reconnect with a favorite hobby.
This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys creativity, variety, relationship-building, and seeing the direct impact their work can have on someone’s day.
What Hillcrest Offers
- Competitive compensation.
- Multiple health insurance plan options for eligible team members.
- Vision, dental, and life insurance.
- Professional development support, including tuition reimbursement, certifications, and career-growth programs.
- Dayforce Wallet, allowing you to choose when you get paid.
- Gym membership reimbursement and partner discounts.
- Supportive leadership and a collaborative community team.
- Opportunities to grow within a mission-driven senior care organization.
Physical & Other Requirements
- Must be able to speak, read, and write English.
- Must be able to independently lift up to 35 pounds.
- Must be able to perform repetitive sitting, bending, standing, walking, reaching, lifting, and movement as needed.
- Must be able to assist residents safely to and from recreation programs as appropriate.
- Must be flexible, calm, and professional when working with residents or families in stressful or emotional situations.
- Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with strong attention to detail.
- Must be able to utilize technology, documentation systems, and recreation resources efficiently and effectively.
- Possible exposure to communicable diseases and bodily fluids.
- Other duties as assigned.
Ready to Bring More Fun and Connection to Every Day?
If you are creative, compassionate, and enjoy helping aging adults stay active, connected, and involved in the things they love, we invite you to apply for the Recreation Leader – Hillcrest Shadow Lake role.
Join Hillcrest Health & Living and help us continue inspiring people to live their best lives through meaningful activities, personal connections, and memorable experiences.
