Activity Aide

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists with and conducts activities based on needs and interests of residents.
• Assists activities with outside vendors to entertain or conduct programs with residents.
• Maintain communication with Activity Director regarding condition/change of resident.
• Assists the Activity Director with various administrative tasks as necessary.
• Encourage residents to participate in planned activities.

Other Responsibilities

• Listen to resident's desires and needs for activity.
• Assist with the distribution of activities schedules.
• Coordinate resident escort to and from in-house and community based activities.
• Decorate for holidays and other events.
• Attend meetings and training sessions required for position.

Qualifications

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.

Education and/or Experience

Prefer three to six months of related experience in Senior Activities. Complete annual state mandated training requirements (Regular In-services as well as any external training).

Computer Skills

Uses e-mail to communicate with others internally and externally. Individual should also have knowledge of spreadsheet, database, and word processing software to create reports, calendars, and correspondence and to maintain state or federally mandated resident documentation.

Other Skills and Abilities

Skills in planning and leading activities for geriatric residents are needed. Requires additional skills with special-need geriatric residents, such as those with dementia, Alzheimer's, or those requiring advanced health care.

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 talk or hear when interacting with various individuals or groups and when communicating instructions to residents for performing activities. The employee is frequently required to stand during activities with residents and while conversing with various individuals; walk when doing a one-on-one activity with a resident, escorting residents to a planned activity, and in the course of performing activities with residents; sit at a desk when charting resident information or in a chair when doing an activity with residents; use hands to finger, handle, or feel when using the telephone or computer or to manipulate items or materials before, during, and after planned activities with residents (balloons, baking supplies, books, radios/tape players, musical instruments, etc.); reach with hands and arms for supplies, to assist residents with an activity or craft, to push residents in wheelchairs, or to walk with residents using a walker; and stoop, kneel, or crouch to communicate with residents, to assist residents with activities, and to place items in or get items from low drawers or shelves. The employee is occasionally required to balance while walking or standing in the course of performing the job. The employee is occasionally required to use his/her sense of taste during baking activities and sense of smell to detect odours within the resident units and emanating from the residents. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, which is generally supplies and furniture required for planned resident activities. The employee is regularly required to move up to 200 pounds when transporting residents by wheelchair to planned activities or for one-on-one activities. Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision in order to monitor residents at close range and at a distance and to manoeuvre residents in wheelchairs and with walkers through unit hallways; close vision for computer and paper detail work, reading or playing music, and observing residents during an activity; colour vision to work with materials for activities involving craft materials or baking supplies and to review colour-coded spreadsheets or documents; and depth perception and ability to adjust focus from far to near and from computer to desk or unit hallways.

A high school diploma or equivalent is required, as well as the completion of state mandated annual training requirements.

The Orchards offers a comprehensive benefit package, including PTO and 401(k) profit sharing, and a together we inspire attendance incentive. The Orchards is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we are committed to providing a workplace free of unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.