Position Description

Major Activities of the Role:

In teams of 2 or 3, Personal Care Attendants will provide support dependent on the individual needs of each resident.  This may include some or all of the following:

Physical Support

• Assisting with hygiene including bathing, oral hygiene, skin care, hair, etc.
• Preparing and serving food
• Feeding
• Performing light housekeeping duties – sweeping floors, washing floors, cleaning kitchen, making beds, etc.
• Lifting and moving from one position to another
• Assisting with body exercise (providing a simple range of motion exercise)

Psychosocial Support

• Assessing emotional well-being of each resident
• Actively listening to issues and concerns in a confidential and non-judgemental manner
• Assisting with problem resolution on an individual or group basis
• Providing reassurance of home, care, safety, etc.
• Creating a comfortable, home-like environment
• Assisting residents with developing life skills
• Conflict resolution

Medical Support

• Administering medications in a safe and timely manner
• Contacting appropriate medical support when necessary
• Attending appointments with a resident

Spiritual Support

• Respecting each individual’s beliefs and values
• Listening in a non-judgemental manner
• Discussing the life cycle
• Arranging for appropriate spiritual guidance as requested by the client
• Providing comfort and reassurance.

Other responsibilities include:

• Communicating with other Care Attendants and Volunteers
• Recording daily activities into a computer database (training provided)

Key Accountabilities:

• Supervision provided by Senior Caregiver.
• No positions currently report to the Personal Care Attendant
• Work in a team environment with contractors and volunteers

Working Conditions:

• House environment – ranging from 3 to 12 clients
• Lifting; repositioning of clients
• Shift work including weekends (2 – 6 hour shifts during week; one 12 hour shift on weekend)
• Supportive environment
• Computer for data input is available (software training will be provided)
• For the protection of the incumbent and the clients, tuberculosis testing, Hepatitis B/A immunization, chicken pox immunization and annual influenza vaccinations will be expected
• Lunch breaks on site.

Competencies/Characteristics:

• Excellent communications skills – listening, documenting, reading
• Problem solving; conflict resolution
• Dependable; caring and committed
• Empathy with people; compassionate; building respect and trust
• Self-starter; motivated
• Strong safety focus; good understanding of universal safety procedures
• High level of confidentiality and discretion
• Good physical and mental health
• Honesty
• Non-judgemental

Qualifications/Knowledge:

• A Personal Care Attendant or Health Care Aide Certificate; or in process of completing program

• Current CPR and WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) certification (required)
• Applying universal safety procedures

Applicants will be assessed on the following:

• Providing a wholistic continuum of support

• Knowledge of public health standards
• Knowledge of HIV and AIDS
• Food Safety (certification an asset)
• Working in a team environment