The Engaged Life

Assisted Living Certification

The Engaged Life™ Program (ELP) is designed primarily for residents who live in traditional Assisted Living or Independent Living settings but are not benefiting from the programming offered on the campus due to mild memory challenges.  Although they are not quite ready for a Memory Support Program, these residents often need additional cueing and other adaptations in order to benefit from the activities offered in the community.  If these adaptations are not provided, they may hesitate to participate in programming, become socially isolated, and experience an overall decrease in quality of life (including increased depression).

The Engaged Life™ certification program is offered only to Centers of Excellence that have completed certification in the I’m Still Here® Experience.  The program includes instruction and embedding in setting up the Morning operational flow, as well as an array of specialized Clubs, Classes, and Committees in the afternoon.

Implementation is conducted over a six-month period. The certification training program provides instruction in the following foundational topics:

• Conceptual and operational distinctions between clubs, classes, and committees
• The use of resident life stories and skills assessments to create engaging clubs, classes, and committees
• The role of the Engaged Life Director
• The use of skills-based adaptation techniques including Montessori learning philosophies, templates, and visual cues to adapt learning experiences
• Strategies for creating meaningful social roles within clubs/classes/committees
• Best-practice invitation and communication techniques that lead to higher levels of resident participation
• Identification, recruitment, and training of resident leaders
• Optimal facilitation of clubs, classes, and committees
• Staff mentoring: pilot / co-pilot approach
• Problem solving common challenges