Resident Service Aide(Day Shift)

The Resident Services Aide (RSA) plays a vital role in providing compassionate and supportive care to residents in both the assisted living and memory care divisions. Primary responsibility is to assist Residents with their activities of daily living (ADLs) and certain instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) using a person-centered care approach to promote Resident choice, purpose and meaning in daily life. Person-centered care means that the Residents are supported in achieving their highest level of physical, emotional, and psycho-social well-being. This position requires empathy, patience, and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for those in our care.

Following the Resident’s Individual Service Plan (ISP), the RSA is expected to place a premium on active and empathetic listening to and observing of the Resident, to assure adaption to each Resident’s changing needs regardless of his/her cognitive ability.

The RSA is expected to:

1. Promote the individuality of each Resident.
2. Offer each Resident dignity and respect.
3. Support each Resident’s right to privacy.
4. Foster the Resident’s independence by assisting with and not doing for (as directed by ISP).
5. Support the needs of the Resident’s families and friends.
6. Document services provided in the health record (electronic EHR and/or paper) at time of service (live time documentation).
7. Notify supervisor immediately of changes in resident condition including incidents.
8. Provide a supportive, safe, and caring environment.
9. Work collaboratively with the Resident, their family and health care team.
10. Respect the Resident’s right to choose.

DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. The Resident Services Aide assists Residents in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) as directed from each Resident’s Individual Service Plan and/or as needed and indicated. This may include reminders, supervision, and/or partial or complete assistance with:
2. Showering
3. Routine and special skin care
4. Selection of clothing
5. Dressing, undressing
6. Grooming (washing and combing hair, cleaning nails (no clipping), shaving, make-up)
7. Oral hygiene including denture care
8. Toileting and incontinence care (including assistance with urinal and/or commode)
9. Escorting
10. Validation of feelings, encouragement, hand-over-hand guidance, empathetic listening, redirection
11. Nutrition and hydration
12. Hearing Aides, eyeglasses, prosthetic devices, personal equipment and belongings
13. Telephone
14. Laundry
15. Obtain weights monthly or more frequently as directed by DOW and enter weights in EHR.
16. Physical assistance with mobility (transfers, ambulation, assistance with wheelchair use, climbing and descending stairs)
17. Mechanical transfers (HHA certified only)
18. Assist resident with medical equipment such as oxygen, nebulizers, sleep apnea equipment (HHA certified only)
19. Assist resident with care of indwelling/external urinary catheter, ileostomy & colostomy (HHA certified only)
20. Total feeding assistance (HHA certified only)
21. Other clinical assistance within the scope of certification as directed by DOW and/or DOR.

1. Assist Residents with meal service including but not limited to:
2. Serving meals in Reflections following proper serving techniques
3. Clearing tables in Reflections following proper techniques
4. Assuring proper meal is provided to residents
5. Maintaining knowledge of the types of diet/texture modifications provided
6. Assisting with meals, i.e., cutting into easier sized pieces, hand over hand assistance, etc. as needed
7. Ensuring any meal trays, as directed by DOW/Supervisor, to be provided in resident room are delivered and removed from resident’s room promptly
8. Assisting residents with menu selection
9. Providing in-between meals for residents who do not enjoy remaining seated for long in Reflections.

1. Participate in resident activity programs as directed by DOW, DOR or Supervisor, sometimes independently of the Programming Department.
2. Lead programs when directed or assigned to do so
3. Invite, encourage, and assist with resident participation in programs

1. The RSA will understand and follow company policy and State Department of Health Regulations for documentation, notification, and responding to emergencies:
2. Incident reporting including:
3. Identifying and responding to an incident and/or an unusual occurrence
4. Following the chain of command for notification of incident occurrence including immediate notification to supervisor
5. Community’s safety plan, Emergency and Disaster Plan
6. Identifying and responding to emergencies such as:
7. Resident falls
8. Resident elopement
9. Change in Residents’ physical and/or mental and or emotional status;
10. Need for transfer to hospital
11. Resident death
12. Resident abuse or neglect (suspected or actual)
13. Building evacuations
14. Fire
15. Facility failures such as no heat, hot water, water, air conditioning, elevator service
16. Resident/Family complaints and/or grievances
17. Report to immediate Supervisor
18. Understand and appropriately utilize the Emergency Response System (ERS):
19. Re-set pendants and door alarms and pull cords
20. Carry functional communication device (walkie/beeper)  at all times when on duty
21. Answer pendants, door and pull cord alarm promptly for all residents regardless of assignment
22. Respond to Reflections exit alarms immediately
23. Sign in and out any ERS/Care Documentation equipment
24. Change in Residents physical, emotional, behavioral, mental status:
25. EHR alerts and verbal notification to DOW/DOR of Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide
26. Daily shift communication meeting
27. Resident and/or family complaints and/or grievances will be immediately reported to DOW/DOR or Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide in the absence of DOW/DOR
28. Sign all appropriate logs and documents, etc. including EHR live-time documentation;
29. Assure residents attend all meals and document same in EHR ensuring:
30. Every Resident is accounted for
31. Follow-up each Resident absence (immediately)
32. Notification to DOW/DOR or Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide of any resident unable to attend meal or whereabouts unknown
33. Enter correct information in EHR meal service task

1. Follow infection control procedures:
2. Maintain asepsis in hand hygiene, linen handling, cleaning of equipment
3. Assure compliance with infection control policy including appropriate use of personal protective equipment when indicated, exposure(s), communicable disease(s)
4. Maintain a safe and clean environment

1. Follow OSHA standards including but not limited to safe transfer and lifting techniques.

1. Assures the ongoing needs of the Wellness and/or Reflections Unit are met by completing tasks as assigned, following policy, and striving for excellence:
2. Report to work on time (five minutes prior to start time).
3. Assure appropriate hand-off is maintained (shift to shift report, hand over keys, beepers, scanners).
4. Read the communication log at the start of the shift.
5. Communicate resident issues, changes in condition, noteworthy or unusual behavioral expressions, etc. to DOW/DOR or Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide immediately
6. Remain at work until relief has arrived and/or the DOW/DOR or Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide  has given permission to leave.
7. Involved in specialized process and performance improvement initiatives.
8. Assume responsibility and tasks as assigned by Supervisor.

1. Identify and report to DOW, DOR or Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide in the absence of DOW/DOR:
2. Gaps between Resident preferences and their reported experiences.
3. Gaps in care.
4. Environmental and/or system processes that are barriers to provision of person-centered care.
5. Residents who are or are becoming resistant to care assistance or have markedly increased or unusual (for that resident) behavioral expressions.
6. A lack of Resident’s personal care items
7. Need for training

1. Seek to learn the Residents’ interests and preferences:
2. Read Residents care plan and profile.
3. Report to DOW/DOR or Shift Supervisor/Lead Aide
4. Newly learned information
5. Changes as observed and document in EHR alerts
6. All observed Resident preferences for showering, food dining, activities, routine, mood etc.
7. Additional responsibilities
8. Assist at the Front Reception Desk as directed.
9. Attend mandatory and recommended in-services and training – Minimum of 12 hours/year
10. Assist Residents to safety during emergency situations.
11. Perform other duties as assigned such as: changing bed linens, maintain clean and orderly condition of Resident apartments, launder Resident personal items (Reflections).
12. Engage Residents in group and individual activities, be a presence and participate during programs and activities.
13. Uphold all company policies and procedures including Team Member Handbook entries.
14. Performs other duties and/or assists in other departments as assigned by Supervisor, Executive Director/General Manager or Manager on duty.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. High-school graduate or equivalent
2. Basic math and reading skills and demonstration of same upon request.
3. Observation, reporting and documentation of resident status and the care or service furnished.
4. New Jersey – Certified as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Home Health Aide(HHA) or personal care aide (CNA/HHA Preferred)– Employee is responsible to file renewal application including completion of criminal history background check every two years.
5. New York – Documented training in the provision of personal care tasks -HHA/PCA/CNA certification preferred.
6. Must exhibit compassion and empathy toward a fragile senior population.  
7. Must be mature and able to effectively deal with the job demands.
8. Must be emotionally, mentally, and physically able, with or without reasonable accommodations, to provide required services to residents, including verbally communicating with residents.
9. Must be able to carry out directions.
10. Must be able to speak, read, and write in English, which is the predominant language of a majority of our residents.
11. Must be willing to learn new skills.
12. Must be physically able to sit, stand and walk for long periods of time.
13. Must be able to lift and carry medical supplies and equipment from one location to another.
14. Must be flexible and willing to care for residents in assisted living unit and memory care unit.
15. Must be able to listen attentively to residents' requests and preferences, ensuring exceptional customer service.
16. All sensory skills (speech, vision, smell, touch and hearing) required, corrected to near normal range, with or without reasonable accommodations so that RSA can communicate verbally with resident and ensure that resident observations can be seen, smelled, felt, heard and then reported and documented and/or the care/service furnished.
17. Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision.
18. Must be detail oriented and self-motivated.