Caregiver Job Description
ABOUT HEARTS AND MINDS ACTIVITY CENTER Hearts & Minds Activity Center, founded in 1984 is the first large capacity dementia specific adult day care program in the country. Hearts & Minds Activity Center provides therapeutic activities to seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The services include adult day care activities that enhance the use of cognitive skills, stimulate interpersonal interaction, encourage mobility/stability and provide monitoring and assistance for nutritional care and personal hygiene. Hearts & Minds operates a licensed Childcare Center which was established to provide onsite intergenerational programming for individuals with dementia and preschool children. The clients and children (2 to 5 years of age) engage in daily multiple levels of interaction. ABOUT THIS POSITION This is a non-exempt, full time position, Monday-Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, providing quality social day service activities and assist, as needed with personal care for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following: • Develop and facilitate engaging, functionally appropriate, interesting, stimulating and safe program activities in both the indoor and outdoor program area. Ensure that activities are balanced to meet the needs of each client. • Effectively communicate and build trust with clients verbally or using verbal or visual cuing techniques to provide care and interact to meet the social and emotional needs of the individual client. • Ensure client safety and environmental sanitation and maintain client confidentiality. • Participate in client care planning process and adhere to planned interventions. • Assist in all areas of the clients’ personal hygiene care. Ensure that dignity and respect is provided in this area. • Assist clients with ambulation, including transferring from a seated position to a standing position, and from a standing position to a seated position. • Assist with completion of client documentation and report notable client changes. • Establish positive working relationships with other staff on the care team. • Assist with implementation of intergenerational services. • Attend special events, in-services, continuing education and meetings as required. • Attend required staff meetings. • Regular and predictable attendance and punctuality. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES) • High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate) • Ability to maintain quality, safety, and infection control standards • Effective time management skills • Excellent customer service and listening skills • Working knowledge of the English language; excellent oral and written communication • Possess excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to handle emotionally charged situations PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the Engagement Facilitator is required to stand, walk, bend, or twist the body. The Engagement Facilitator must occasionally lift and provide physical assistance to clients with ambulation; walking, standing up, sitting down or move up to 25 pounds. WORK ENVIRONMENT • Indoors, environmentally controlled and outdoors • Exposure to disease or infections • Exposure to blood, urine, and feces