Social Worker

Reporting to the Administrator, the Social Worker will be primarily responsible for ongoing support, counselling, education, as well as information to residents, family members and Substitute Decision-Makers (SDM). As a member of the multidisciplinary team, the Social Worker will work in collaboration and consultation with other health care disciplines to promote the optimal psychosocial functioning of the residents and their families during the transition to long-term care. The Social Worker will advocate for the resident and may work to resolve problems related to institutional living and will refer individuals to community resources as necessary.

The Social Worker will provide the services within the scope of practice and in alignment to the Vision, Mission, Values and Ethics of St. Joseph’s Lifecare Brantford.

Key Accountabilities
- Provide support within the admission, transfer and discharge processes, by supporting resident and family members in this life transition;
- Acts as the Home's Lead Liaison with community agencies and partners regarding the placement and ongoing support of prospective residents;
- Shares knowledge, resources and assistance in various community and health network systems with residents, family members, and caregivers;
- Provides social support to residents and/groups including relationship building, life skills instruction and coping skills;
- Provide assistance with dealing with personal and social problems by delivering counselling, strategies, community services and social support programs;
- Assists with internal resident transfers in collaboration with the resident/substitute decision maker, facility staff and other residents;
- Participates as a member of the interprofessional care team in developing and implementing resident care plans, resident mediation and investigation in a person centric approach;
- Assists Director of Care and Associate Director of Care in providing mediation in difficult resident/family situations;
- Provides individual and or group support for residents and family members and shares findings with care teams concerning the unique transition support required by the resident to foster adjustment to the new environment;
- Provides individual and/or group counseling to residents experiencing psycho-social issues (depression, anxiety, loneliness, bereavement) within the scope as set out by the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers;
- Provides expertise, education and support to the interprofessional Care team as it relates to Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Handbook as set out by the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers;
- Follows the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Handbook as set out by the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers;
- Participates as a member of the interprofessional care team in the investigation of alleged resident to resident abuse;
- Policy review as requested for policies relevant to activities associated with resident wellbeing and support;
- Triage family and resident’s concerns and complaints and support Director of Care and Associate Director of Care in addressing concerns pertaining to various areas in St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre’s care, and/or physical environment;
- Provide support in the de-escalation and management of emergent situations such as Code White or other situations to avoid Resident behavior escalation within the Social Worker scope of practice;
- Assists Director of Care with investigations and reporting, as necessary;
- Attend Resident Care meetings;
- Ad hoc duties, as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills
- Master’s Degree in Social Work or equivalent;
- Registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (RSW);
- Minimum two years of experience in a similar role, working with seniors
- Experience in a Long Term Care Home setting, preferred
- Ability to establish therapeutic relationship with patients and families
- Superior interpersonal skills and communication skills both written and verbal
- Ability to perform multiple tasks concurrently
- Ability to obtain information through strong investigative skills
- Ability to work effectively within an interdisciplinary team and build collaborative relationships with the team and community resources
- Demonstrated ability to exercise tact and sound professional judgment when responding to matters concerning sensitive personal information and confidentiality.
- Advanced computer skills and knowledge working in Excel, Word, Outlook and other computer systems.
- St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre Brantford is an equal opportunity employer and strives for equity, inclusiveness, and diversity in all programs, facilities, and people. St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre Brantford is committed to creating a barrier-free, accessible organization, utilizing a collaborative approach in supporting persons with disabilities during the recruitment, assessment, selection, hiring,