First Link Care Navigator

**Organizational Overview**:
The Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners actively supports families and individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. We advocate for and provide support services, education, and funding for research for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

**Our Vision**:
A world without Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

**Our Mission**:
To alleviate the personal and social consequences of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia’s and to promote research.

**Our Values**:
Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.

**Position Title: First Link Care Navigator (FLCN)**

**Location: Oxford (Woodstock) Office, with limited travel to Elgin (St. Thomas) and Middlesex (London) offices**

**Status**: Full-Time, permanent, 35 hours per week, occasional evening and weekend

work required.

**Position Summary**:
The First Link Care Navigator (FLCN) will coordinate and integrate supports and services around the person living with dementia and their care partner. In this direct client service role, they will be the key “go-to” person for families after a dementia diagnosis, with responsibility for identifying needs, supporting self-management goals, and strengthening the communication and care planning linkages between providers and across sectors along the continuum of care.

The First Link Care Navigator will strive to ensure that every person diagnosed with dementia and their care partners have timely access to information, learning opportunities and support when and where they need it to achieve the following outcomes:

- increase system capacity to provide families facing a dementia diagnosis with system navigation support
- improved client experience and health for the person living with dementia and their care partner(s)
- greater care partner capacity and competency to effectively manage their role and reduce incidence of crisis situations
- enhanced capacity for the person living with dementia to remain in their own home and community for as long as possible

**Required Qualifications**:

- Minimum bachelor’s degree in social work, gerontology, or other related health care discipline
- 3 to 5 years client service experience in the health and/or social service sectors
- Experience working directly with people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias and their care partners
- Understanding of roles and linkages across primary care, community care and specialized geriatric services
- Strong knowledge of client-centered philosophy and knowledge of clinical practices and training models related to dementia (e.g.: P.I.E.C.E.S. and U-First)
- Experience in assessment and care planning/coordination
- Excellent communication (verbal and written)
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, including shared decision-making and facilitation
- Ability to prioritize workload and manage competing tasks
- Ability to take initiative and be resourceful
- Excellent problem-solving and change management skills
- Proficiency in technology (Microsoft office and case management systems)
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team
- Expertise and experience in cultural sensitivity and diversity
- Ability to speak French or other languages an asset
- A class “G” driver’s license and access to a vehicle on a daily basis is required
- A Police Vulnerable Sector Check is required

**Preferred Qualifications**:

- Registered health professional designation and

**Specific Job Responsibilities**:
**Initial Contact, Assessment and Care Planning**:

- Pro-actively manage incoming First Link referrals to facilitate early intervention and ensure that clients (people living with dementia and their care partners) have a named point of contact for care navigation support as early as possible before and/or after diagnosis
- Gather information, conduct, or review relevant assessments, and meet with clients (people living with dementia and care partners) to identify current and future needs, goals and level of risk
- Establish appropriate intervention plans with internal and external resource matching to meet bio/psycho/social needs using a person/family-centred approach
- Identify needs related to care coordination across service providers and outline responsibilities of all parties

**Navigation and Care Coordination**:

- Support clients in navigating the system to access appropriate learning opportunities, support services, care and resources as identified in their individualized plan of service
- Pro-actively facilitate and advocate for linkages, communication, information exchange and coordination between clients and service providers along the continuum of care
- Facilitate regular and ongoing care conferences between clients/care partners and all members of client/care partner care team. This may include in-person meetings and use of a range of technology options and/or accommodations, including language translation services