Would you recommend your job to someone else?

Absolutely I would! I am the Activities Director at a 32 unit Assisted Living residence. It is a wonderful place to work and a great career! Our facility is based on the Eden Alternative principle which advocates the elimination of boredom, lonliness and uselessness.  We have a menagerie of animals at the facility which the residents adore and bring children in from the local schools to bring smiles to their faces. I am their fitness coach as well, so I lead excercises twice a day, we do creative arts and crafts, storytelling, story writing, music, outings to many area events and the list goes on and on.  Many of my residents have Alzheimers or Dementia while others just can't walk, talk,see or hear. 
I work with residents who have lived all over the world for instance, Italy, India, Saudia Arabia, Asia, Africa, France and of course, all over the US as well. I have the unique opportunity to touch living history every day of my life.  We can learn a lot from our elders if you take the time to listen, even those who may have difficulty expressing themselves or fitting into what we call 'normal' society.  Many of my family of residents have been published authors, others were muscians, nurses and teachers.  All of us who work there consider these people our extended family. We love and care for them like they were our own.
The bittersweet of it is when someone crosses over.  I don't know how many of you have been in a room when someone has died, but sometimes you can actually feel the angels in the room. It is an amazing experience.  Although there is sadness in losing a friend, I find comfort in feeling that being one of the last faces a person sees before they die is a special calling in and of itself. Sending them light and love as they transit is a unique opportunity to bring peace to someones life.
It may not be for everyone, but I wouldn't trade this job for the world.  Peace..PE