Memory Care Activities/Life Enrichment Assistant

Iris Senior Living · Highland Park, TX Full Time

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Job Description

Description Iris Memory Care of Turtle Creek is looking for a Life Enrichment Assistant. This position is responsible for engaging our residents in leisure activities that are of interest to them! Our residents need assistance to socialize, complete crafts, dance, sing, cook recipes, garden, accompany on excursions, and to be involved in and complete life enriching activities both that are scheduled monthly and some that are impromptu. This is an incredibly fun, rewarding, and important job for the right person We are a small, freestanding memory care assisted living community in downtown Dallas, near I35E and Dallas North Tollway off of Oaklawn Avenue. We have a small campus with a total of 42 residents. As a community focused on memory care, all of our residents are coping with Alzheimer's or other form of dementia. We are an age-in-place community, so you will care for residents all throughout the spectrum of the disease. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in life enrichment in a memory care setting. Rate of pay is $14 per hour. Qualifications Job Qualifications: A qualified candidate will feel at home working with and building relationships with the elderly, performing life enriching activities daily and preferably will have a solid history of reliability and experience working with dementia or a willingness to learn. Other qualifying attributes are as follows: Well-rounded, balanced, and productive team player, mature, patient, creative, nurturing, compassionate personality, with lots of energy, the ability to closely follow direction, and strong organizational skills. Our goal is to provide our residents with the highest standard of care in an often fast-paced environment. Weekend availability is mandatory

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What Most Job Listings Don’t Tell You

General overview for this role type — specific duties and requirements vary by employer.

Care aide and CNA positions in senior living are hands-on roles that require both physical stamina and genuine emotional resilience. In Texas, CNAs must hold an active certification through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, while caregiver and aide positions may not require formal certification but typically involve on-the-job training.

What catches many new hires off guard is the physical demand — you will be on your feet for the full shift, assisting with transfers, repositioning, and mobility support. Memory care roles add another layer, as working with residents experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's requires specialized patience and de-escalation skills. Most facilities offer shift differentials for evenings and weekends, and many in the DFW area provide tuition assistance programs for aides looking to advance into nursing.

What to Expect in This Role Day-to-Day

Based on typical senior living facilities in the DFW area.

Your day typically begins with morning routines — helping residents with bathing, dressing, grooming, and getting to breakfast. Throughout the shift, you will assist with meals, escort residents to activities, monitor for changes in behavior or health, and document everything in the care log. Vital signs checks happen at regular intervals, and you will be the first person to notice if something seems off with a resident.

The team dynamic is close-knit. You will work alongside other aides, report to the charge nurse, and communicate with families who visit. In memory care units, redirection and engagement activities are a big part of the role — keeping residents calm, oriented, and socially active. The work is physically and emotionally demanding, but many aides describe deep bonds with the residents they care for and a sense of purpose that keeps them in the field long-term.

DFW Area Salary Data

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nursing Assistant positions in the DFW metroplex area earn a median wage of $18.53/hr ($38,542/yr). The typical range is $17.96 – $21.73/hr (25th–75th percentile).

Entry Level (10th) $35,859/yr

DFW Median $38,542/yr

Experienced (90th) $49,088/yr

vs. National Median -8.8%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area). Salary data provided by DFW Senior Living Guide.