Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

Join Our Team at Iona Senior Services!

Are you a visionary arts professional who believes in the power of creativity to enrich lives?

Do you enjoy designing engaging, meaningful experiences that foster connection, expression, and joy—especially for older adults? If so, we invite you to bring your passion and innovation to Iona Senior Services as our next Creative Arts Manager. Join a dynamic, mission-driven team where your work will make a daily impact and help build a vibrant, welcoming community through the arts.

About Iona Senior Services

For nearly 50 years, Iona Senior Services has been a leader in helping older adults and their families navigate the opportunities and challenges of aging in the greater Washington, D.C. area. As a nonprofit organization, we directly support over 4,700+ individuals annually through innovative programs, including adult day health care, active wellness initiatives, support groups, and more. At Iona, we are committed to fostering a warm, inclusive, and collaborative workplace that promotes professional growth and excellence in service.

SUMMARY:

Under the direct supervision of the Director, the Creative Arts Manager is responsible for development, facilitation, documentation, and ongoing evaluation of Iona Washington Home Center’s creative arts program. The Creative Arts Manager will design therapeutic, multi-level art programs to enhance older adults’ quality of life by encouraging participation and meeting the individualized needs of adult participants with a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities. Goals facilitated by the Creative Arts Manager include sense of control and empowerment (mastery, reminiscence), social engagement (including the opportunity to articulate ideas and feelings and to be understood), sensory and cognitive stimulation, positive attitude and creative expression.

The Creative Arts Manager ensures that the participating older adults are nurtured and supported as artists by their community, and maintains a safe, functional, therapeutic studio environment for participants. Also shares responsibility with all staff in monitoring and assisting participants in the Adult Day Programs.

Responsibilities:

The Creative Arts Manager takes the lead responsibility for coordinating two annual participant art exhibits. Specifically,

• Curating items to be displayed

• Selecting, Matting, Framing, Hanging

• Working with the Communications Department on invitations and brochures

• Working with Director on logistics such as timeline, entertainment and refreshments.

• Working collaboratively with the Creative Arts Manager from Wellness & Arts Center for joint exhibitions

The Creative Arts Manager shares responsibility with all staff for assisting participants as needed; promoting community awareness of Iona and other community resources; and participates in planning, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and other agency wide efforts which support the whole organization.

Program Planning

• Stay abreast of current research and best practices for creative arts as it relates to aging
• Develop the monthly creative arts program calendar to include:
  • Group creative arts sessions, twice/day
  • Art making
  • Creative story writing ( ex: Timeslips)
  • Poetry (appreciation, listening, writing)
  • Music, dance, movement
• Individual creative arts sessions, as needed
• Art museum field trips, 1 x month

Documentation

• Maintain updated progress notes that document activity with participants including participant’s current level of functioning, goals, verbal content relevant to goals, artistic expression relevant to goals, any change in affect, thought process or behaviors.

• Maintain grant documentation when applicable.

• Manage and monitor annual creative arts budget

• Update WHC staff members daily on any significant observations of participants

Studio Practices

• Maintain an environment that supports the therapeutic goals of the creative arts program.

• Keep studio organized and stocked with high quality adult art materials.

• Establish studio practices that ensure emotional and physical safety

• Maintain updated list of signed/unsigned participant artwork release forms

Community and Social Engagement

• Plan, organize, and implement two annual participant art exhibits

• Plan, organize, and implement monthly art museum trips

Organizational

• Attend organization’s all-staff meetings

• Attend WHC daily stand-up and other staff meetings and trainings

• Attend participant care plan meetings and report participant status

Other

• Assist participants as necessary (coming in and out of the center, lunch, transition from programs, etc.)

• Assist program staff when needed with program activities, lunch service, scheduling, etc.

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 3 years’ experience working with older adults with varying physical and cognitive abilities

• 2 years’ experience developing and leading successful creative arts programs for older adults with various levels of physical and cognitive functioning.

• Must demonstrate a positive attitude, creativity, flexibility, patience,

• Ability to work independently and as part of an inter-disciplinary team

• Ability to communicate and establish effective relationships with staff, participants, caregivers, and volunteers

• Able to lift 20 pounds

• Initial and annual chest x-ray/PPD or medical certification

• CPR and First Aid Certification

Comprehensive Benefits Package, including:

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Life Insurance

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