Social Services Assistant

Meadowbrook at Appleton is looking for a compassionate and dedicated Social Services professional to join our team.

Our Social Services team plays an important role in supporting the emotional, social, and psychosocial needs of our residents and their families. This position helps residents adjust to long-term care, protects resident rights, supports discharge planning, and works closely with the interdisciplinary team to promote quality of life.

Benefits Include:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Time
• 401k with Employer Match
• Supportive Team Environment
• Meaningful Work That Makes a Difference

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Review facility policies and procedures as part of the facility’s interdisciplinary team to assure compliance with state and federal regulations
• Participate in reviewing and setting policies concerning resident care and quality of life
• Participate in developing facility social work policies
• Participate in quality assurance interdisciplinary team meetings
• Understand and meet all government requirements for social service documentation
• Document progress in meeting the psychosocial needs of residents
• Work with the interdisciplinary team and administration to promote and protect resident rights and the psychological wellbeing of each resident. Prevent and address resident abuse as mandated by law and professional licensure
• Work with residents, families, significant others and staff to provide support, information and organization for taking a more proactive role in self-advocacy to improve quality of life/care for individual residents and those who live and work within the nursing home and the community at large
• Complete a social history and psychosocial assessment for each resident that identifies social, emotional, and psychological needs
• Participate in the development of a written, interdisciplinary plan of care for each resident that identifies the psychosocial needs/issues of the resident, the goals to be accomplished for those needs/issues, and the appropriate social worker interventions
• Ensure or provide therapeutic interventions to assist residents in coping with their transition and adjustment to a long-term care facility, including their social, emotional, and psychological needs
• Ensure or provide support and education to residents’/family members/significant others to assist in their understanding or placement and facility issues in addition to referring them to appropriate social service agencies when the facility does not provide the needed services
• Provide groups for residents’/family members/significant others as appropriate to their needs
• Provide clinical interventions to address catastrophic events that occur during the resident’s stay in the facility
• Coordinate the resident discharge planning process and make referrals for appropriate home care services prior to the resident’s return to the community
• Educate staff regarding the role of the social worker in the facility and the psychosocial needs of the residents and their families/significant others including the problems of aging and disability
• Educate staff regarding cultural diversity and each staff member’s importance when caring for residents. Educate staff regarding residents’ rights and how to recognize and prevent abuse, neglect and mistreatment
• Educate residents and families/significant others regarding their rights and responsibilities, effective problem solving and the extent of community, health and social services that are available to them, including those necessary for effective discharge planning.
• Supervise students assigned to social services in accordance with the respective school guidelines and monitor and document the progress of their work.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate is compassionate, organized, dependable, and able to communicate effectively with residents, families, staff, and outside agencies. Experience in long-term care or healthcare social services is preferred.

Apply today and join a team that truly makes a difference in the lives of our residents.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business needs.