Quality of Life Specialist (HHA) - Full Time & Part Time

Home Health Aide

Assisted Living/Memory Care

Assisted Living Clinical

Director of Health Services

Hourly/Non-exempt

POSITION SUMMARY:

Perform routine daily care to Assisted Living and/or Memory Care residents in various areas of personal care activities, homemaking, escorts, and other related supportive services essential to achieving a high quality of life for the residents living at High Point Center for Care.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Assist all residents with a high quality of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), including but not limited to: bathing, dressing, grooming, shaving, incontinent care, skin/foot care, oral hygiene, height and weight checks per policy.
2. Actively promote independent lifestyle of residents.
3. Make all beds in A.M. and turn down in P.M.
4. Change bed linens once each week or as needed. Complete flat linens per shift as assigned.
5. Complete resident’s personal laundry as needed.
6. Ensure residents have enough supplies and inform the nurse, Healthcare Navigator, or Director of Health Services if supplies are needed for residents.
7. Assist residents during mealtime: Supervise meals, escort to meals, cut food, encourage to eat, etc. as needed.
8. Utilize special programs components offered by the community.
9. Assists with certain treatments as ordered by residents’ medical provider.
10. Promote a calm and positive atmosphere.
11. Complete and document shift assignments as assigned, if unable to complete, report to nursing supervisor.
12. Inform residents of activities, special events, and scheduled appointments to encourage participation and achieve a high quality of life. Escort as needed.
13. Document resident status accurately as per policy.
14. Conducts routine checks on residents in their apartments.
15. Get report from Nurses, Healthcare Navigator, Supervisor, and/or Health Services Director at the beginning of your shift.
16. Attend department meetings as needed.
17. Follow resident Care Plan and communicate any changes to nurses, Healthcare Navigator, Supervisor, and/or Health Services Director
18. Communicates with the nurse on duty, Healthcare navigator, and/or Health Services Director of any change in residents mental and/or physical condition or home situation.
19. Monitor Wander System and E-call Alarms. Respond promptly to alarms and emergencies in a timely manner.
20. Provide emergency care within scope of practice.
21. Be familiar with and follow community policies.
22. Supports creating a culture where the business decisions made in this position, along with individual employee engagement, drive top-line revenue and occupancy.
23. Perform essential functions of the job in a professional manner.
24. Other duties as assigned by Health Services Director.

GENERAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. The Community embraces a culture of hospitality. To that end, all employees are expected as a condition of employment to practice the LCS Hospitality Promises™ in all interactions with residents, fellow employees, and guests:

• We greet you warmly, by name and with a smile.
• We treat everyone with courteous respect.
• We anticipate your needs and act accordingly.
• We listen and respond enthusiastically in a timely manner.
• We hold ourselves and one another accountable.
• We make you feel important.
• We embrace and value our differences.
• We ask, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
• We maintain high levels of professionalism, both in conduct and appearance, at all times.
• We pay attention to details.

2. Observe and abide by all regulations to ensure that personal health information is protected during its collection, use, disclosure, storage, and destruction within the community; and to ensure only the minimum necessary information is known to function in this position.

• Assure resident safety.
• Follow written and oral directions.
• Maintain all tools, equipment, and supplies in proper condition.
• Recommends improvements and offers suggestions as appropriate.
• May participate in orientation and development of new employees.
• Maintain confidentiality of resident and community information.
• Assist new employees in following established community policies and procedures.
• Complete assignments timely, completely, and accurately.
• Attend all in-services as assigned or requested.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team and other community meetings as assigned or requested.
• Consistently work cooperatively with residents, co-workers, physicians, families, consultant personnel and other ancillary service providers.
• Observe all community safety policies and procedures.
• Is observant of safety hazards and emergency situations, and reports to appropriate person or takes corrective action according to established procedures.
• Come to work in a clean, neat uniform and consistently present an appropriate professional appearance.
• Come to work as scheduled and consistently demonstrate dependability and punctuality, comply with attendance policy.
• Assume accountability for data contained in the employee handbook.
• Assumes accountability for compliance with Federal, State, and other regulations within scope of control and of which informed.
• Observe infection control procedures.
• Follow Residents’ Rights policies at all times.
• Observe all community policies and procedures.
• Accept assigned duties, instructions, or correction in a cooperative manner, voicing concerns or disagreement in a professional manner through established chain of authority according to state procedures.
• Perform incidental housekeeping and maintenance tasks as may arise during the course of regular duties, in order to maintain a clean, safe, pleasant environment for residents, visitors and staff.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned in an effective, timely and professional manner.

EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required.
• One (1) year experience working as a HHA preferred.
• One (1) year experience working in Assisted Living/Memory Care preferred.

LICENSE/CERTFICATION:

• Must possess a valid and current NYS HHA Certification from a NYS DOH Training Facility
• First Aid and/or CPR certification by qualified training (preferred)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proficiency in the English language enabling the employee to read, write, comprehend, and communicate simple instructions, correspondence, memos, etc.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving few concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Willingness to be available for any/all emergencies regarding the community.
• Doctor’s statement verifying free from communicable disease.
• Must display patience, tact, enthusiasm, and a cheerful disposition.
• Agreement to complete orientation program for Heartfelt Connections Program
• Must be willing to learn new techniques and principles and willing to incorporate them into existing resident care practices.

DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY: None

PHSYICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Tools, equipment, machines may be used on the job:

• Personal computer and general office equipment
• Washer/Dryer machines
• Hoyer Lifts and/or Sit-to-Stand Lifts
• Wheelchair
• Geri Chairs and Shower Chairs

Physical activities of the position:

• Must be able to mobilize throughout the community.
• Lifts and carries up to 50 lbs. occasionally with assistance.
• Pushes and pulls up to 50 lbs. with assistance occasionally.
• Must be able to push/pull a wheelchair up to 200lbs.
• Walking, standing, pushing, stooping, bending, and stretching frequently for long period of times ranging from .5-7.5 hours during a typical workday.
• Medium work – exerts up to 50 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs. of force frequently and/or up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally to move objects.

SENSORY/COGNITIVE REQUIREMENTS:

This list is not to be inclusive, rather exemplary of times of sensory/cognitive activities involved in performance of job functions.

Recognition/vision and mental processing:

• Routinely process written information as in policies and procedures, posted notices, instruction materials, regulations, etc.
• Routinely observe resident actions, gestures, and facial expressions.

Hearing:

• Routinely recognize auditory call signals, telephone rings, soft voices of elderly, verbal communication within the workplace. 

Smell:

• Routinely observe odors relevant to resident personal care condition and those unpleasant in the environment.

Verbal communication:

• Routinely engage in interactions highly dependent upon clear, audible verbal communication, often in circumstances where hearing impairments can easily lead to misunderstanding.

PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR REQUIREMENTS:

This list is not to be inclusive, rather exemplary of times of emotional and behavioral activities involved in performance of job functions.

• Routinely interact with individuals (residents, family members, staff, etc.) who may be discourteous, tactless, demanding, verbally and/or physically threatening or abusive, angry or hostile, emotionally vulnerable or mentally ill, vulgar, mean-natured.
• Routinely called upon to control own emotions and behaviors so as to protect residents’ rights and to respond professionally with respect and dignity.

ENVIRONMENTAL/OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES:

This list is not to be inclusive, rather exemplary of times of environmental/occupational exposures involved in performance of job functions.

• Individual must be able to use protective equipment and take proper precautions and emergency measures.
• Individual is subject to both environmental conditions. Activities occur inside and outside.
• The worker is subject to noise, vibration, hazards, oils, and other environmental conditions.
• Exposure to a variety of chemicals and dust daily.