The Heart Work of Enriching Lives Every Day

This month we're excited to hear from Lindsey Bretzman, our wonderful Life Enrichment Specialist at Bridgetown Music Therapy. Lindsey is an incredible human, who is passionate about all things senior living, life enrichment, and memory care. Her enthusiasm and zest for life are contagious! We know you'll enjoy reading about her experience as an activity professional, enriching lives every day.

Caring for Grandpa
I knew I wanted to be a life enrichment professional for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the Chicagoland area, family was always at the center of my life. Our household consisted of two loving parents, 3 siblings, and I. During my teenage years, my grandfather (73 years my senior), moved in with our family. Growing up with our large age gap, spending time with my grandpa looked different than most other kids. Instead of going to the park or playing with toys, we talked. He shared his life experiences, including being in the army in WWII. He showed me newspaper articles, pictures, and love letters he exchanged with my grandma while he was overseas. The month my grandpa moved in with our family, we also welcomed home Chelsea, a sweet golden retriever puppy. Grandpa loved her, and she followed him everywhere.

One year, my grandpa fell and broke his hip. He stayed in the local nursing home while he recuperated. I inquired with the staff if I could bring our sweet dog to visit and they approved. The next time I arrived, I signed in and began walking down the hall towards my grandfather’s room. Along the way, I saw countless patients lined up in the hallway. Busy people walked past them without acknowledgement. A woman in a wheelchair saw the dog Chelsea, looked up at me and smiled.  As we approached her, she outstretched her hand to pet Chelsea. Her eyes lit up and she began to laugh. Her laughter caught the attention of others lined up in the hallway. Many of them expressed their desire to see the dog. I got down to each person’s level to say hello, compliment them in some way, and introduce Chelsea. As I looked around me, I felt the somber atmosphere turn to joy. I eventually made it to my grandpa’s room- filled with joy myself.

Discovering My Path
Witnessing the positive interactions lit a fire inside me. I knew I wanted to work with seniors and enhance their quality of life. I began researching non-medical careers working with older adults and discovered “Activity Director”. I learned the job duties entailed planning, preparing, and leading activities. I created a binder of activity ideas- from exercises and crafts to songs and discussion questions. I continued to volunteer at the nursing home and care for my grandpa at home, until his passing.

I entered the work force as an eager Activity Assistant, devoting myself to learning throughout my volunteer and work experiences. I took countless educational courses and conducted research. I learned invaluable information about aging in the body and brain, caregiving techniques, dementia, and life enrichment programming. By far, the most beneficial learning was through my hands-on experience. I understood each person was unique with different interests, skills, and abilities. I learned that once you have met someone with dementia, you have only met ONE person with dementia. Each person’s journey is different. I became an Activity Director, now commonly known as a Life Enrichment Director, in a senior living community. There are many variations of this title, and I love that the objective of enriching lives is reflected.

I worked as a Life Enrichment Director for many years in a variety of senior living settings, including assisted living, residential care, and memory care. I felt a special calling to continue my work with a focus on memory care and engaging older adults living with dementia. After participating in required coursework, I became certified as an Activity Director (State of Oregon) and as a Certified Dementia Practitioner. It was an honor to accept awards for Enrichment of Life (Oregon Healthcare Association) and Innovative Program of the Year (LeadingAge Oregon). As a Life Enrichment Director, I created activity calendars, planned and hosted activities and events, participated in care planning and activity documentation, and supported the community in any way I could. I lead support groups for families- offering education, resources, and support. I presented life enrichment and dementia care educational classes for numerous organizations. It was at this time I discovered a further love and passion for educating and supporting other life enrichment and care professionals.

The Heart Work
Being an activity professional has been the highlight of my life. I like to refer to it as “heart work” because it is so much more than a job. Each day is a new opportunity to make a meaningful connection and put a smile on someone’s face. I have known many activity professionals throughout my career, and I like to say, “We are all cut from the same cloth.” Kindness, creativity, empathy, and a zest for life are common traits among activity professionals. While the work is fun and rewarding, it isn’t easy. Lots of hard work, patience, and dedication is needed to be successful. Working as a life enrichment director has taught me to value the simple things in life and accept imperfection. You can create a wonderful activity calendar but have nothing go according to plan; life happens! Having multiple back up plans, flexibility, and understanding is key. The smallest gesture could bring a smile to someone’s face. I often remind myself of the quote that is my driving force: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

Better Support for Activity Professionals
Life enrichment professionals are passionate to their core. They deeply care for the wellbeing of the residents or clients they serve. Throughout my career, I have experienced many of the common problems that often accompany the role: Lack of resources and support. There is a lot of pressure put on activity professionals from the company’s management, team members, regulators, residents and their families. A Life Enrichment Director needs enough team members to fulfill planned and spontaneous needs, group and individual activities, and more. One of the most frequent frustrations I hear from fellow activity professionals is not having access to enough funds to fulfill not only what is expected of them, but to truly provide person-centered enrichment and quality of life for their residents. Older adults often move to senior living or care communities for companionship and engaging activities. This is why I deeply feel ample activity budgets are a necessity. Activity professionals are the heartbeat of a senior community. They know the needs and wants of their residents and should be able to make decisions on how to allocate their budget funds. Did you know that like many teachers, activity professionals often spend their own money on supplies and programming? Many healthcare and life enrichment organizations offer continuing education, with opportunities to learn and connect with other activity professionals. Providing the ability to attend conferences, take educational classes, and collaborate with others empowers activity professionals. There are some wonderful senior living companies and communities who already see these needs and are providing resources and support. It is imperative to educate on the importance of life enrichment and access to these resources.

My Encouragement to You
Whether you work with older adults or care for a family member at home, YOU ARE ENOUGH! Take care of your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Accept help from others and take advantage of resources available to you. Join an in-person or virtual support group. Read books and listen to podcasts. There are countless resources for education, support, and activities. Enlist professionals to engage with your loved one, resident, or client. I personally love ready-to-go activities that are not only engaging, but that provide respite to the family caregiver or activity professional. I am a huge fan of Bridgetown Music Therapy’s Virtual Music Engagement Program. With hundreds of on-demand therapeutic music sessions, it is easy to engage together with older adults… or press play and walk away. These sessions are always fun and therapeutic. If you haven’t already become a member, I recommend joining!

Take a deep breath. Give yourself a pat on the back. Practice your favorite self-care routine. Live life to its fullest!