Resident Care Associate

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Resident Care Associate provides the special service and care required to each ALZ / Dementia resident. Provides resident care and program/activity needs to residents while assisting in maintaining a positive physical, nutritional and social environment for the residents, while ensuring they feel safe and purposeful.

POSITION DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Assists residents with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, transfer, mobility, and continence care while using appropriate modeling and validation techniques.

• Supports the resident’s abilities by understanding that all aspects of care can be viewed as an activity.

• Supports the resident’s family, friends and significant others as ongoing caregivers and members of the Caregiving team.

• Demonstrates knowledge of the cognitive, physical, behavioral and psychosocial approach to all aspects of dementia by using a sensitive approach to all aspects of resident care.

• Provides appropriate interventions to maximize the resident’s social and ADL functioning.

• Demonstrates therapeutic conversation and redirection conversation with residents, offering appropriate cues for participation in engagement and dining programs.

• Encourages residents to participate in daily activity programs.

• Participates with program staff and residents in daily programs and recreational activities as directed.

• Initiates programming and activities with residents, leading one-on-one, small group and large group activities.

• Demonstrates knowledge of residents regarding background, participation needs, physical abilities, interests, cognitive capacity and attention span capability.

• Participates in service plan updates and introductory visit updates.

• Serves residents food as directed, following dietary guidelines. Facilitates the Fieldstone Enhanced Dining program and provides snacks and hydration between meals and as needed.

• Knows and complies with all resident rights.

• Receives and gives reports of on-going shifts by oral and written shift report.

• Observes and reports any changes in resident’s condition (behavior or health), takes action to ensure safety of the resident and report to supervisor.

• Checks all residents daily for cleanliness, appropriate clothing, and any continence issues.

• Uses proper sanitary procedures to wipe tables and sweep dining room and kitchen after meals.

• Checks on resident rooms daily for general cleanliness and neatness; ensures high risk rooms are double checked.

• Checks common areas ¾ including bathrooms ¾ for cleanliness.

• Can measure and accurately record vital signs (temperature, pulse, blood pressure) as directed by nurse.

• Assists residents with medication per state regulations.

• Reports resident and family concerns and issues to supervisor.

• Successfully follows and implements the plan of care.

• Recognizes and assists in the prevention of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation (financial and other).

• Recognizes and reports to Program Director or Nurse a resident’s change of condition, including needing more time to deliver care due to the aging process.

• Provides ongoing supervision of residents’ health related activities: complies with health care instructions. explained by health care professionals and promptly and appropriately seeks and obtains medical attention when needed.

• Responds to emergencies and personal emergency response system and knows when to call for backup.

• Effectively handles difficult resident behaviors.

• Reacts calmly and effectively in emergency situations.

• Efficiently documents and provides accurate record-keeping as appropriate.

• Assures resident information is communicated to the team through the report process and communication log (i.e. appointments, outings, etc.).

• Documents residents’ material needs (i.e. briefs, clothing, toothpaste, pads, etc.) and communicates to family.

• Accurately completes incident reports prior to the end of shift and reports all incidents to supervisor.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess a current Certified Nursing Assistant in accordance with the Massachusetts State regulations, or a Certified Home Health Aid Certificate. - required