Event Registration

Activity Professionals Workshop

Live and On-Demand Access

The program will be recorded. All participants registered prior to the live event will have access to both the live and on-demand version. Participants registered after the live event will have access to the on-demand version.

Program Description

Bryan Rife, ADC/EDU, is back by popular demand! Join us for an afternoon of practical, interactive learning built around what attendees asked for at his previous sessions. This virtual workshop covers time management for the day-to-day demands of activity programming, a hands-on, follow-along look at using AI tools for activity planning, practical resources for meeting state and federal requirements and dedicated time for attendees to share what’s working at their facilities.

Live Schedule

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026
12:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Session Descriptions

From Overwhelmed to Organized: Managing the Activity Professional’s Day
Between leading programs, completing documentation, attending meetings and responding to unexpected requests, an activity professional’s day can quickly become overwhelming. This practical session explores strategies for organizing daily responsibilities, setting priorities and creating a manageable routine that protects time for meaningful resident engagement. Participants will examine common time drains, practice prioritizing competing demands and explore ways to group similar tasks and coordinate responsibilities with their team. Through a realistic workday exercise, attendees will develop a practical plan that balances essential responsibilities with the flexibility needed to respond to residents’ changing needs.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify three common time management challenges that affect an activity professional’s daily workflow.
• Apply a prioritization strategy to determine which responsibilities require immediate attention and which can be scheduled or shared.
• Develop a daily work plan that balances resident engagement, preparation, documentation and unexpected needs.

AI in Action: From Prompt to Program
Explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can support activity planning through a practical, follow-along demonstration. This interactive session guides participants through one complete activity-planning exercise, from writing a clear prompt to evaluating and refining the result. Using a fictional resident scenario, attendees will practice developing an activity outline and adapting it to reflect specific interests, strengths, available resources and participation needs. Discussion will emphasize checking accuracy, protecting personal information and applying professional judgment before using generated content. Participants will leave with a reusable prompting approach and an activity outline they can continue developing for their own setting.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Construct an AI prompt that specifies the activity’s purpose, intended participants, available resources and desired format.
• Adapt an AI-generated activity outline to reflect a fictional resident’s interests, strengths and participation needs.
• Evaluate AI-generated content for accuracy, practicality, appropriateness and privacy concerns before using it.

Beyond the Clipboard: Bringing Activity Regulations to Life
Connect activity regulations to the decisions professionals make every day about resident choice, individualized engagement and documentation. This case-based session uses realistic examples, including a resident who declines group programming, to examine how applicable requirements can guide daily practice. Participants will discuss ways to identify preferences, offer meaningful opportunities for engagement and document the support provided and the resident’s response. A guided review of official online resources will demonstrate how to locate federal nursing-home guidance and state requirements relevant to the care settings represented. Attendees will practice using these resources to identify improvements in programming and documentation.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Locate official regulatory resources relevant to their state and care setting.
• Apply an activity-related requirement to a sample scenario involving resident choice and individualized engagement.
• Identify two improvements to a sample activity note that more clearly describe resident preferences, staff support and the resident’s response.

Fresh Ideas and the Power of Sharing
Bring an activity success, a programming challenge and a willingness to exchange ideas with your peers. Building on the popular Beyond BINGO session, this collaborative workshop explores what makes an activity meaningful to participants. Through facilitated discussion and dedicated sharing time, attendees will exchange programming ideas and consider adaptations for different interests, abilities, budgets and group sizes. Discussion will include small-group experiences, one-to-one engagement and ways to involve residents in shaping programming. Participants will select an idea from the session and outline a practical first step for introducing or adapting it in their own community.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify three programming ideas or approaches that could expand opportunities for meaningful engagement.
• Adapt one shared activity to reflect an individual’s interests, strengths or preferred way of participating.
• Outline an implementation plan for one new or adapted activity, including needed resources and a method for gathering resident feedback

Continuing Education Credit

This program is approved for 3.0 contact hours for:

• NF administrators
• Activity professionals

Registration Fees

Members:   $99 per person
Non-members:    $299 per person

Speaker

Bryan Rife, ADC/EDU is the CEO of Sparkle Success and a health care leader with more than 28 years of experience in long-term care and life enrichment. He also serves as Director of Quality Assurance for the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP), where he oversees national credentialing standards for activity professionals. Bryan is a Nationally Certified Activity Director with a specialized designation in Education (ADC/EDU) and holds a Life Coach Certification through the Academy of Modern Applied Psychology. His leadership experience includes serving on the Board of Directors for NCCAP and the Coalition of Activity Professionals in North Carolina. A sought-after keynote speaker, Bryan has presented at national conferences and workshops on regulatory compliance and resident-centered programming. His work has been recognized with national honors, including Activity Department of the Year, for innovative programs that enhance quality of life in health care communities.