Activity Therapy Aide/Cook

Dodge County • Juneau, WI

53d • Onsite

About The Position

This full-time, non-exempt position involves guiding residents in recreational activities, assisting with sensory programs, exercise, and projects to meet their life enrichment needs. The role includes providing transportation for outings, planning special meals and events, developing monthly activity calendars, and decorating household areas. The position also involves assisting residents with personal needs, hygiene, grooming, and mobility, as well as functioning as a team member during emergencies. Additionally, the role includes cook duties, preparing and portioning food according to resident diets and preferences, tracking diet changes, and maintaining sanitation standards. The position requires knowledge of PPE, confidentiality, chemicals, and the ability to create a warm atmosphere, work cooperatively with others, and communicate effectively. It also requires organizational and time management skills, the ability to perform detailed work accurately, think quickly under stress, and use computer software. Mathematical calculations, record-keeping, sound judgment, and discretion are also necessary. The role requires the ability to handle sensitive situations calmly and professionally, maintain effective working relationships, and work allocated hours, responding after hours as needed. The physical demands include occasional exertion of up to 75 pounds, regular sitting, frequent standing, speaking, hearing, using hands, and repetitive motions, with occasional walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and reaching. Work may involve exposure to bloodborne pathogens, fumes, airborne particles, infectious wastes, diseases, and medical conditions. Specialized personal protective equipment may be required.

Requirements

• Knowledge of PPE and its proper use for personal safety measures.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of all resident care information and assure resident rights and privacy are protected at all times per HIPAA.
• Knowledge of chemicals used in housekeeping and laundry services including hazardous laundry chemicals and isolation procedures.
• Ability to create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth and personal interest as well as a clean environment.
• Ability to work tactfully and cooperatively with residents, families, visitors, and entire staff throughout the organization.
• Ability to verbally communicate with residents, families, the public, and other members of the organization.
• Must be able to exhibit a warm, cheerful, caring manner.
• Must be able to safely perform the essential job functions.
• Ability to interpret and implement local policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Skill in organizational and time management to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
• Ability to perform detailed work accurately and independently in compliance with stringent time limits requiring minimal direction and supervision.
• Ability to think quickly, maintain self-control, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Knowledge of computer software including word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications consistent for this position.
• Ability to perform mathematical calculations required of this position.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate and concise records and reports.
• Ability to apply sound judgment and discretion in performing duties, resolving problems, and interpreting policies and regulations.
• Ability to communicate detailed and often sensitive information effectively and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to handle sensitive interpersonal situations calmly and tactfully.
• Ability to maintain professionalism at all times.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to work the allocated hours of the position and respond after hours as needed.
• Occasional exertion of up to 75 pounds of force.
• Work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to handle or feel and repetitive motions.
• Occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information in moderately loud conditions.
• Work frequently requires exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.
• Occasionally requires exposure to fumes or airborne particles.
• May work in any area of the facility.
• May be subject to exposure to infectious wastes, diseases, and medical conditions.

Responsibilities

• Guides residents to participate in recreational activities, leads and delegates staff assisting with tasks.
• Assists with sensory programs, exercise programs, and projects to meet residents’ person-centered life enrichment needs.
• Provides active treatment per regulations.
• Arranges and provides transportation for community group/individual outings and social activities.
• Plans special meals, plans/schedules/organizes special events and entertainment for the household.
• Develops monthly calendars for activities planned.
• Transports residents to and from activities and other functions as required.
• Decorates household to assist with resident reality orientation/holidays/seasons.
• Assists with researching/purchasing approved items for household.
• Assists residents with purchasing/researching items they need/wish to have.
• Makes routine contact with residents by visiting, assisting with cards/letters for families, and online shopping.
• Schedules movies, plans parties, and provides games/activities for residents.
• Encourages residents to participate in available programs.
• Works with individuals on goals in their Individual Service Plan (ISP) and reports progress for charting.
• Maintains documentation of resident attendance at activities and participation time.
• Assists and promotes independence with cares (including personal hygiene), ambulation, and accessing the community.
• Functions as an integral member of the team providing appropriate interventions during medical, behavioral, and/or facility emergencies.
• Provides personal hygiene including bathing, oral care, skin and nail care, and hand washing.
• Completes resident grooming including hair care, shaving, dressing, and weighing.
• Encourages residents toward independent personal care.
• Assists with toileting including bowel and bladder retraining and perineal care.
• Performs and assists with mobility, transferring, ambulation, positioning, and range of motion per the care plan.
• Reports accurately all cares given, including dietary intake and output, temperature, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration.
• Serves residents their meals; motivates and assists them with intake of nourishment and fluids.
• Participates in the planning of resident care through shift reports and resident care staffing meetings when assigned.
• Informs verbally and/or submits in writing any observations and changes in a resident for the supervisor to evaluate.
• Encourages/assists residents in keeping their rooms clean and orderly.
• Maintains household in a clean and orderly manner.
• Keeps all residents’ personal belongings and equipment clean.
• Ensures all residents’ possessions are properly labeled as needed.
• Responds to resident emergencies including bleeding, falls, seizures, and performs CPR and Heimlich maneuver.
• Performs housekeeping and laundry responsibilities as needed.
• Assists with the training and orientation of new Household Assistants.
• Provides backup assistance to Household Assistants and other department personnel as needed.
• Prepares and portions food on menu in appropriate quantities and according to resident diets and preferences.
• Tracks/updates resident diet changes for accuracy of food production.
• Maintains high standards of food production and sanitation.
• Keeps work areas and equipment clean and in compliance with regulatory codes.
• Assists with prepping future meals as needed.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off (PTO) – available for use after 30 days of employment
• 10 observed paid holidays
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) – with employer contributions - HRA
• Life insurance, Long-term disability, Short-term disability and Flex spending
• Participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) – an exceptional pension plan with employer match (upon vesting) and lifetime retirement payment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed