Celebrating Activity Professionals Week 2023 | Heather Engle

Happy Activity Professionals Week! 

Activity professionals are amazing and deserve far more than a week of appreciation, so let's keep the ball rolling! Throughout this week, we’re spotlighting some of the exceptional Activity Professionals that we have the honor of working with and share some stories from the field that make these people so special. Stay tuned so you can get to know some of the individuals making an incredible impact on older adults living across North America!

In support of Activities Professionals week, today we honor Heather Engle, Life Enrichment Manager at The Forum at Rancho San Antonio, a resident equity community managed by LCS. 

Heather’s path into senior living was untraditional. As a former art teacher, Heather was working as a framer at Michael’s Arts and Crafts when a customer mentioned that she needed someone to come in and do craft groups at the senior living community she worked at. Heather ran a few classes and was hooked. From there, it was history! Now a Life Enrichment Manager in Memory Care, Heather absolutely loves working with older adults. Her passion for art remains and she uses her unique skill set to create exceptional programming for her residents. She spreads joy! 

In her own words:

“As a Life Enrichment Manager, I’m delighted and dedicated to enhancing the lives of older adults. To me, this means helping them do what they feel connected to and is a joy for them.”

Heather and her team focus on valuing resident interests and using all the resources available to them to create these special moments. The Forum at Rancho San Antonio has had an impressive deployment! Just shy of three months as our partner, Heather and her team have already run an impressive 73 sessions with their residents! 

“With the addition of Rendever to the Forum at Rancho San Antonio, we’re able to give our residents new experiences, whether it’s a hot air balloon ride in Portugal, visiting the Louvre in Paris, or even having a playdate with a baby! I credit our activities team with making it a success by really listening to each person’s interests and pairing it with Rendever to create a unique experience with each use. I see residents pointing out features to each other and staff as they tour and have interesting VR experiences.”

In addition to using Rendever to give residents these new and unique experiences, Heather and the Activities Team utilize Rendever as a way to learn about the lives of their residents and reminisce about special moments from their past. They truly care about the history and hearts of their residents.

“We use reminiscing a lot in Memory Care; it’s a valuable tool and moving to hear our residents’ stories. Staff has shared with me that often our residents share past trip destinations that we can have them experience again with VR in the moment - trying and seeing new things in these familiar places. Their smiles and reactions are the best thanks in the world.”

Heather~ Thank you for your dedication to the joy of residents. We’re so grateful for your passion, caring, and creativity. You and your team are changing lives!

Pictured: Anthony Maxey, Activities Staff