Activities Assistant

## Description

**Position Overview**

Assist in implementing Residents’ activity programs to ensure that individual social, educational, recreational, emotional, and spiritual needs are addressed within the parameters established by current Long-Term Care regulations. Promotes positive interpersonal relationships throughout the facility and community.

## Qualifications

 Sincere desire to work with elders and others who have a limited capacity for self-care.

 Establish positive rapport with Residents, family and facility staff.

 Mental and physical capacity to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations.

 Work with and provide care to individuals of a wide range of personality types and maturity levels.

 Willing to receive consultation from others more qualified by education or experience.

 Demonstrate creative initiative and mature judgment in making competent decisions.

 Consistently maintain courteous, empathetic, and professional attitude.

 Transportation accessible to enable flexibility of work schedule.

 Knowledge of computer applications relating to job.

 Communicate and comprehend orally and in writing to effectively receive and share information as necessary to perform job duties.

**Principal Duties and Responsibilities**

 Assure Resident safety at all times.

 Willing to address each Resident with his/her preferred name as well as learn and abide by Residents’ Rights, rules and regulations.

 Assist in planning, developing, and implementing, facility’s activity programs according to written objectives.

 Assist in scheduling social and recreational events such as: parties for special occasions, movies/music, games, outside activities/entertainment, exercise, crafts and other activities requested by Residents and/or family members.

 Ensure that Resident needs are effectively addressed.

 Establish and maintain positive rapport with administration, interdepartmental personnel, volunteers, Residents, visitors and outside agency representatives.

 Help coordinate activity programs with other facility activities and services to avoid conflicting events.

 Assist in keeping alert Residents aware of current news events.

 Considerate of individual as well as group interests.

 Assist in providing intellectual challenge or stimulation by maintaining ample reading material in large print, providing “talking” material for blind, and inviting guest speakers.

 Accurately completes documentation in the clinical records of individual Residents regarding involvement in response to activities.

 Encourage therapeutic activities that will positively contribute to restorative and rehabilitative goals for Residents.

 Assure preservation of dignity, individuality and independence, reports any violation of Residents’ Rights to the charge nurse, ADON, DON or Executive Director immediately.

 Commitment to work well with other staff avoiding petty conflicts that disrupt a productive work environment. Does not participate in facility gossip and rumors.

 Assist Residents to participate in civic events as requested.

 Promote positive self-esteem and independence by encouraging participation in activities that commensurate with abilities and interests and by praising accomplishments.

 Maintain confidentiality of all activities, persons, and records.

 Ensure adherence to Residents’ Rights by respecting privacy, allowing verbalization of complaints or dissatisfaction and reporting any situations or individuals that fail to comply with Residents’ Rights.

 Assist in establishing and maintaining a clean, safe, and pleasant working environment.

 Report unsafe/hazardous conditions immediately.

 Resident preferences are followed when providing care and service.

 Maintain Resident privacy, values and right for decision making.

 Immediately notify supervisor and Executive Director for any injury, illness, or if develop a condition, that might impact the aptitude to perform job functions.

**Ancillary Duties and Responsibilities**

 Perform duties in compliance with established policies and procedures.

 Assist in notifying family members or significant others of special events.

 Identify self when conversing with physician or office staff.

 Maintain activities and subsequent documentation in compliance with physicians’ plan of care.

 Implement in-room activities when necessary.

 Promote and maintain positive interpersonal relationships.

 Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis throughout the facility.

 Involve community volunteers in facility activities.

 Remain receptive to Resident, family and visitor complaints by hearing and documenting complaints then reporting to department manager.

 Documentation in clinical record adheres to current policies, procedures and regulations.

 Submit timely incident report regarding unusual occurrences.

 Particularly attentive to safety when transporting Residents to activities.

 Note changes in Resident’s condition and report immediately to charge nurse or Director of Nursing.

 Maintain supplies within budgetary guidelines.

 Retain invoices or receipts of all items purchased for activities.

 Report on/off duty as scheduled.

 Assist in coordinating activities with other departments and disciplines.

 Participate in employee health and safety program by knowing and following infection control policies.

 Using proper body mechanics when assisting Residents and staff or when lifting heavy objects.

 Respond according to policies and procedures during fire/disaster drills and emergencies.

 Demonstrate a progressive and cooperative attitude regarding implementation of necessary changes.

 Read current literature related to Long-Term Care activities.

 Strive to promote own professional growth by utilizing new ideas and updated knowledge to enhance job performance.

 Receptive to constructive feedback from supervisors and co-workers.

 Assist in publicizing activities by helping to maintain updated, easily read and highly visible schedule of activities.

 Announce selected items over facility loudspeaker.

 Accurately completes documentation in the clinical records of individual Residents regarding involvement in response to activities.

 Assist in planning, developing, and implementing, facility’s activity programs according to written objectives.

 Assist in scheduling social and recreational events such as: parties for special occasions, movies/music, games, outside activities/entertainment, exercise, crafts and other activities requested by Residents and/or family members.

 Emphasize interdepartmental cohesiveness in achieving facility objectives.

 Make routine rounds to speak to Residents, visitors and staff.

 Legally and safely operate automotive equipment.

 Adhere to and comply with any applicable facility insurance guidelines to enable coverage under the policy.

 Accept additional assignments within scope of education, training or experience.

**Resident Rights**

 Maintain the confidentiality of all Resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.

 Participate in Resident/group council meetings as requested and provide support services to such council.

 Review complaints and grievances made by the Resident and make a written/oral report to the Activity Director indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance. Follow facility’s established procedures.

 Knock before entering a Resident’s room.

**Safety and Sanitation**

 Ensure that you and all facility personnel, Residents, visitors, etc., follow established safety regulations, to include fire protection/prevention, smoking regulations, infection control, etc.

 Ensure that the building and grounds are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner as well as in good working order by reporting all concerns to management.

 Ensure that you and all facility personnel follow established regulations governing the use of labels and SDSs for hazardous chemicals.

 Ensure that facility procedure manuals identify safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that could cause bodily injury or exposure to a hazardous chemical or infectious waste.

 Ensure that you and all facility personnel follow established ergonomics policies and procedures to prevent selfinjury.

 Ensure that you and all facility personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood, body fluids, or hazardous chemicals are appropriately trained prior to performing such tasks.

**WORKING ENVIRONMENT:** All statements addressed in the "Working Hours," "Environment" and "Physical/Sensory Demands" sections below are applicable to all jobs maintained by the employer.

**Working Hours: The employee will**

 Be employed on a full-time, part-time, or PRN (as needed) basis. May be subject to change after employment.

 Work unusual hours as necessary and as required.

 Be expected and required to adhere to policies and procedures regarding attendance.

**Environment: The employee will**

 Work in a well-lighted, heated or air-conditioned, ventilated area, unless otherwise noted.

 Be subject to frequent interruptions.

 At times be subjected to falls, cuts, bruises, caustic substances, infectious diseases and odors.

 At times be subjected to hostile and emotionally upset family members and Residents.

 Be expected to work cooperatively with others.

 Be expected to handle multiple tasks effectively and organize work efficiently.

 Be expected to show courtesy to co-workers, Residents, families and others with whom contact is made while on the job.

 Be expected to maintain a professional attitude and good relations with co-workers.

 Be economical and careful with use of supplies and equipment.

 Adhere to established policies and procedures including safety regulations to ensure that quality Resident care is maintained at all times.

**Physical/Sensory Demands: The employee must**

 Often walk for long periods or long distances within the building, or sit, stand and walk intermittently.

 Frequently carry up to 50 pounds and move up to 75 pounds.

 Occasionally squat, bend/stoop, push/pull, climb, reach above shoulder level, crouch, kneel, balance, carry and move up to 75 pounds.

 Perform repetitive hand and foot action with or without reasonable accommodation.

 Communicate information and ideas orally and in writing, and in a manner that others will understand.

 Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

 Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

 Respond to and assist with emergency procedures, including evacuation of Residents from the building.

 Hear, with or without the aid of mechanical devices, adequately enough to respond to soft, verbal communications and instructions and answering of telephone.

 Read and see, with or without the aid of mechanical devices, and respond to and/or interpret written material or instructions.

 Be free of all communicable diseases and agree to testing of same, under which federal and/or state regulations would prevent you from working at this facility.

**Risk Classification**

All employees performing within this job classification are at high risk of exposure to blood/body fluids or potentially infectious waste when performing certain tasks within the job requirements.