SUMMARY:
The Care Associate is a member of the clinical team in Continuing Care who is committed to providing residents with assistance and care in all aspects of their daily life. The Care Associate will develop relationships with CC staff, residents and their families using a consistent caregiver approach; supporting the residents’ physical, spiritual, emotional and clinical needs and focusing on placing the residents first.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Care Associate Specific Duties:
The Care Associate provides care to the residents of the neighborhood to meet their daily needs and enable them to function at the highest possible level to include:
1. Provides physical assistance with activities of daily living to include maintenance & restorative nursing care.
2. Promotes psychosocial well-being through meaningful relationships
3. Plans and facilitates social activities for the neighborhood residents
4. Assists with menu/snack selection and partners with Dining in serving to ensure adequate nutritional intake of all residents. Provides in-room dining experiences where requested. Assists residents with dining as needed.
5. Assures the resident’s room and neighborhood are kept tidy to minimize environmental hazards which may impact environmental safety
6. Responds in a timely fashion to all resident requests or concerns with the intent on a resolution that meets the needs of the individual while always displaying courtesy and respect.
7. Works cooperatively and collaboratively with other members of the neighborhood to ensure all resident’s desires and needs are met, displaying a courteous, positive attitude and professional demeanor even during difficult situations.
8. Effectively implements each resident’s individualized care plan, focusing on the resident’s strengths, preference & routines while providing a sense of comfort, companionship and belonging.
9. Maintains resident confidentiality.
10. Notifies clinical staff in a timely fashion of any change in a resident’s condition.
11. Attend all required training as needed to satisfy community procedures and/or State requirements.
Programming:
Spontaneous activities occur throughout a resident’s day and are driven by the resident’s individual habits, preferences, desires and interests. Staff will continue to support those resident driven activities through their workday such as:
1. Regularly visits residents who are in their rooms or common areas to assess needs, desires and offer assistance engaging them in the daily activities within the neighborhood.
2. Works with other team members (residents and/or staff) to engage the resident is activities of daily living and maintaining the functioning of the neighborhood (i.e., laundry, cooking, meal planning/preparation/serving/cleanup, etc.).
3. Provides assistance with resident activities. Continually seeks opportunities to meet resident’s psychosocial needs through planned care, neighborhood specific programming as well as spontaneous resident directed activities.
4. Provides opportunities for all residents to participate in the decision-making of the neighborhood in meaningful ways.
5. Assist group and individual activities (structured and impromptu) in activity spaces, common areas and in the resident’s room to support resident desires.
6. Maintains equipment, games and supplies for use in supporting resident and neighborhood activity choices.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Basic computer skills required.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
· Must be at least 18 years of age
· Current certification and active status from the State Board of Nursing is required.
· Current certification and active status on the Geriatric Nursing Assistant registry (required for MD only).
Current CPR certification is preferred.
One to two years CNA /GNA experience preferred.
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Must be able to read, write, understand and communicate in the English language.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, REGISTRATIONS:
· Current certification and active status from the State Board of Nursing
· Current certification and active status on the Geriatric Nursing Assistant registry (Maryland only)
· Attend all required training as needed to satisfy community procedures and/or State requirements.
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 job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk. The employee frequently is required to use hands and fingers to handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.
OSHA OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE CATEGORY:
After careful analysis, it has been determined that this falls into OSHA Occupational Exposure Category III and requires the following protective equipment be work by anyone filling this position.
GLOVES, GOWNS, MASKS, AND/OR GOGGLES:
Training will be provided in how to properly and effectively use any necessary equipment, in addition to education regarding precautionary measures, epidemiology, and modes of transmission and prevention of HIV/HBV.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
· Frequent exposure to residents, families, and visitors in a healthcare setting.
· Erickson Living Communities operate on a 24/7 schedule. Therefore, an employee may be required to work additional hours or a varied schedule due to inclement weather or other emergency situations.
ROUTINE DECISION MAKING:
Able to make objective observations in resident’s condition and alert the clinical supervisor and security in case of emergency.
Able to make decision on when to alter time to provide care per resident’s request.
Able to update care plan to document a resident’s routines and preferences.
FORMAL POLICY-SETTING RESPONSIBILITIES:
· No formal responsibility
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