Social Worker

POSITION CLASSIFICATION

Non-union

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

Reports to the Director of Care

SUMMARY OF FUNCTION

Reporting to the Director of Care, the Social Worker position:

- provides clinical Social Work services to residents and their families.
- participates in an interdisciplinary team and is a member of the facility leadership team.
- reviews and prepares pre-admission assessment for placement into Personal Care Home.
- consults with health care and community agencies.
- coordinates and facilitates resident and family conferences and meetings.
- provides an advocacy role for residents and families.
- acts as the FDS Privacy Officer.
- acts as the FDS Complaints Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS

**Education and Credentials**:

- A Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited School of Social Work.
- Must be registered with the Manitoba College of Social Workers.
- Eligible for membership in the Manitoba Association of Personal Care Home Social Workers.

**Experience**:

- Two (2) years related work experience dealing with the needs of the elderly.
- A good understanding of the needs and problems associated with the aging process.

**Personal**:

- Ability to work independently.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills.
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft computer programs especially, Outlook, Excel and Word.

SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Works within the framework of Fred Douglas Lodge’s philosophy, policies and procedures.

**Clinical Practice**:

- To provide an advocacy role, direct services and to counsel residents and families and provide mediation as necessary.
- To facilitate and coordinate all aspects of admissions for placement at Fred Douglas Lodge.
- To make preadmission assessments to identify needs, gather knowledge and to provide information to the applicant and family.
- To provide tours of the facility to the applicant and/or family.
- To enhance and facilitate the adjustment of residents within the facility.
- To determine and evaluate the resident’s social, psychological, financial, cultural and familial needs and develop a plan as required.
- To maintain confidentiality of all information.
- To organize and meet with individuals or groups of residents/family and provide support and mediation as needed.
- To facilitate Resident Council and Family Council meetings.
- To participate in in-service programs regarding the social and emotional components of care and their effects on residents and families.
- Develops a psychosocial history at pre-admission, in collaboration with the resident and family, to ensure that the health care team has the information required to regard the resident as a person deserving of respect and dignity.
- Assesses the applicant and family in terms of their expectations and acceptance of placement in the personal care home.
- Facilitates a smooth transition into the personal care home through interdisciplinary collaboration and development of an admission plan.
- Monitors the resident’s adjustment to placement within the personal care home.
- Identifies areas of maladjustment, communicates, and advises the interdisciplinary team accordingly.
- Ensures that the resident and family are aware of their personal rights and responsibilities, and of the concerns process, including Protection for Persons in Care.
- Provides information to the resident and family regarding the process for delegating decision making through the designation of Power of Attorney, Committeeship, Proxy, and Health Care Directives.
- Conducts annual care plan reviews for residents under the supervision of the Public Trustee, and acts as liaison between the resident and the Public Trustee case worker.
- Mediates and conciliates on issues of resident or family dissatisfaction with resident care, and/or resident-family dispute as indicated by the Director of Care.
- Monitors family adjustment to resident placement and performs counseling role to facilitate this adjustment.
- Ensures family or health care/financial designate is aware of their responsibility to act in the best interest of the resident, honoring the value system of the resident.
- Participates in research projects as assigned to improve dignity enhancing care of residents in personal care homes.
- Makes pre-admission visits to applicants on the waiting list or upon request to those for whom admission is being considered.
- Maintains a liaison with the referring Hospital to provide visits/contact as required for patients and families waiting placement to the personal care home.
- Participates as a member of the Admission Committee.

**Administrative Practice**:

- To establish a referral system to identify residents and families’ needs for service.
- To ensure that all departments receive pertinent information for all new admissions, discharges and ongoing changes.
- To ensure and carry out ongoing documentation in interdisciplinary progress notes, MDS, etc, as necessary.
- To maintain waiting lists for the PCH.
- To provide in