Activities Assistant - Part Time

Description

The Activity Assistant is a vital part of our direct care team, supporting older adults with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and related cognitive impairments through meaningful engagement and direct care. This role leads group and individual activities, implements the monthly activity calendar, and helps maintain a safe, welcoming space. In addition to facilitating person-centered programming, the Activity Assistant provides hands-on support with daily needs, such as mobility assistance, prompting, and redirection. They work closely with participants and caregivers offering compassionate service while modeling dignity, empathy, and professionalism for volunteers and staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead and actively engage participants in group activities, such as exercise, current events, discussion groups, art & music classes, gardening, and table games. As the face of the activity program, ensure its successful implementation by creating a dynamic, inclusive, and engaging environment that aligns with Person-Centered Care (PCC) principles.
• Encourage and facilitate socialization among participants by creating opportunities for meaningful connections and conversations. Create an environment that supports positive peer interactions and reduces feelings of isolation.
• Adapt activities using creativity and intuition to meet the varying interests, abilities, and moods of participants.
• Provide direct support to participants, including assistance with toileting, transfers, safely getting in and out of chairs, and medication reminders, while ensuring awareness of dietary restrictions and allergies to promote participants’ safety and well-being.
• Welcome participants each morning with a warm, friendly greeting to support a smooth transition into the day’s program. At departure, offer thoughtful farewells to both participants and their loved ones, helping to end the day with care and connection.
• Demonstrate proficiency in incontinence care training to ensure participants' dignity, comfort, and hygiene.
• Collaborate with activities coordinator to manage complex client care needs, ensuring appropriate support, resources, and interventions are in place to enhance client well-being.
• Model a positive customer service attitude.
• Perform essential opening and closing tasks that ensure the smooth operation of the program.
• Accurately record participants' progress and document daily observations in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system at the end of each day, ensuring timely and detailed reporting of engagement, participation, and any notable changes.
• Take ownership in problem-solving, proactively addressing challenges, and demonstrating initiative to improve participant experiences, and overall team operations.
• Effectively and promptly communicate with direct supervisor about notable or unusual behaviors.
• Effectively multi-task while prioritizing high-impact tasks, ensuring urgent needs are met without compromising program quality or participant engagement.
• Set a high standard for volunteers by demonstrating professionalism, strong work ethic, and leadership, serving as a role model for excellence within the program.
• Consistently meets all standards of conduct delineated in the Yolo Hospice, Inc. Integrity Program: Standards of Conduct: A Guide to Compliance and Ethics.

Note: The above statements are intended to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by the incumbent of this job. The incumbent may, from time to time, be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated.

Requirements

• Must meet all the following: (a) have one year of experience in a social, recreation or educational program within the past five years, one of which was full time. (b) Have a minimum of one-year experiential knowledge in meeting the physical, mental and social needs of the elderly and or disabled adult population.
• Ability to successfully meet agency background screening requirements.
• Maintains a current CPR Certification or obtains one in the first 90-days of employment.
• Have excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and ability to handle details.
• Function independently with minimum supervision.
• Understand the social, mental, and physical needs of elderly individuals as they relate to recreation.
• Perform effectively under stress and when confronted with critical or unexpected events.
• Perform repetitive, detailed tasks. Ability to walk and/or stand continuously for 8 hours (with exception of break periods). Good manual dexterity. Visual and auditory acuity.
• Able to hear, speak, read, write, and type well enough to perform required job duties.
• Able to lift up to 50 pounds without physical problems.
• Must have a valid California driver’s license and state-required automobile insurance if driving on Yolo Hospice, Inc. business.
• Must be willing and able to flex hours to meet legitimate program as needed.