Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Prepares students for certification with the National Association of Activity Professionals Credentialing Center (NAAPCC), when combined with required continuing education and work experience. Required for the Activity Professional Certificate. Program elective for the Gerontology AAS.

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

• Provide appropriate and effective activity programs that enhance quality of life for older persons and persons with disabilities in long-term care and memory care facilities, community and day programs.
• Demonstrate an ability to complete assessment and documentation which meet state and federal requirements.
• Meet the standards of practice for development and implementation of comprehensive activity programs for all levels of cognition, physical functioning, and psycho-social needs, based on a person-centered, person-directed approach.
• Meet the knowledge requirements of the National Association of Activity Professionals Credentialing Center (NAAPCC)'s certification.

Successful students will work as activity directors and life enrichment coordinators and with sufficient work experience and continuing education, apply for Board Certification with the NAAPCC.

Course is organized around the required text, Long Term Care for Activity Professionals, Social Service Professionals and Recreational Therapists 7th edition (Idyll Arbor), and ten Learning Modules, including online lecture with videos, discussions, four practicum assignments completed in an approved long-term care facility, and a final comprehensive exam, preparing students for the NAAPCC national board certification. The following topics are covered:

* Professionals service regulations,

* Implementation of activity services for older persons and persons with disabilities,

* Completion of documentation forms for Activity Programs and Analysis,

* Completion of documentation forms for individual needs and outcomes of residents,

* Quality of Life concepts for Person-centered Care and Culture Change,

*Resident Councils and Advocacy for Resident Rights,

*Volunteer programs to support Activity Events, and

* Management and Tracking concepts to reach and maintain Federal Regulations and Standards (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - CMS).

Completion of Four Practicum Assignments, demonstrating application of knowledge learned through the course and work in an approved long-term care site, and successful completion of the Final Test.

1. Practicum 1: Program/Calendar Planning for various population levels
2. Practicum 2: Documentation Requirements for low and high resident functioning levels. Including Activity Assessment, MDS, CAT/CAA, Care Plans, Attendance sheets and tracking contact notes, Quarterly Report, and One-on-One Logs
3. Practicum 3: Resident Council Write ups and Follow up Response Sheets, plus review of the checklist for compliance
4. Practicum 4: Management and Tracking forms for Quality Assurance, Improvement Plan Forms and Analysis Checklists
5. Final Test, preparing for national board certification through the NAAPCC

LM1: Changes in long-term care and the people served through activity and life enrichment programs

LM2: Activity work and facility/program set up to provide person-centered care that provides independence safely for residents and clients

LM3: Meaningful person-centered activities

LM4: Reaching the resident or client with dementia through activities

LM5: What is not documented is not done

LM6: Documentation and details

LM7: Activities as part of treatment and behavior modification plans

LM8: Resident Council and Family Council meetings, including volunteers

LM9: Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement

LM10: Management and Tracking of the Activity Department, Avoiding Professional Burn Out