Seniors Community Connector

Job Title:Seniors Community Connector

Job Summary:

A Seniors Community Connector plays an integral role in bridging the gap between healthcare and social care. As a Social Prescribing professional, you partner with community organizations to provide non-medical support to improve the overall health and well-being of older adults in your community.

The Seniors Community Connector will work with older adults who are referred from Health Care Professionals and community partners to connect with community supports and services through referrals, applications, advocacy, and introductions. This role includes a diverse range of responsibilities – from conducting assessments and co-developing personalized care plans, to providing practical support to older adults and their families, to establishing, and maintaining relationships with people and organizations in the community offering supports to older adults. Your experience, training and interpersonal skills help you to make meaningful connections as you discern their unique needs. Through your work with local agencies and professionals, you will make a positive impact on the lives of older adults and the community.

The Seniors Community Connector will work in collaboration health care referrers and other Seniors Community Connectors in the province to create an environment where seniors at-risk of frailty will be able to access resources and support.

The goal of this position is to assist older adults to age safely in the right place by providing them with the social connections they require and build and maintain partnerships and connections of community-based seniors services in your area.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience:

Ø Bachelor’s degree in social service or related Human Services field or a combination of relevant education and experience

Ø Strong knowledge of seniors’ issues and challenges related to healthy aging.

Ø Experience working with seniors and diverse populations from different cultures and socio- economic backgrounds.

Ø Knowledge of the community resources, programs and services.

Ø Minimum two (2) years recent related experience.

Job Skills and Abilities:

Ø Demonstrated ability to connect with and support seniors.

Ø Demonstrated skills in the areas of crisis intervention and conflict resolution.

Ø Demonstrated ability to recruit and supervise volunteers.

Ø Strong collaborative skills and proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all internal and external contacts.

Ø Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to clearly explain instruction to others.

Ø Ability to work independently with strong time management and organizational skills.

Ø Strong computer skills.

Ø Valid driver’s license and reliable vehicle with appropriate insurance.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Community Development

1. Build and maintain networks within community and strengthen relationships withing the community-based senior serving sector.

2. Use an asset-based community development approach to identify and mobilize individuals, and organizations providing and supporting older adults.

3. Engages and participates learning opportunities such as in community of practices, planning tables or networking events.

Assessment and management of referrals

4. Connects, liaises, and establishes partnerships with local health care professionals to create and maintain referral pathways.

5. Maintains an active caseload of seniors with short-term needs through referrals from health care professionals and community agencies.

6. Prioritizes referrals to meet individual participant’s needs.

7. Understand hospital discharge procedures assist with supporting seniors transitioning back home following discharge.

8. Implementing safety precautions when visiting seniors in the community, including their personal residence.

9. Completes intake process to assess strengths, needs, abilities, and risks using motivational interviewing techniques such as active listening, conflict resolution and observing behaviour.

10. Use various assessment tools to determine challenges, needs and risks related to healthy aging and develop routines, structures, and resource referrals to reduce risk of frailty.

11. Interpret participants’ complex physical requirements and social needs.

12. Maintains a high level of confidentiality in all matters related to clients and community partners.

Wellness Plan development

13. Supports seniors to access appropriate range of activities and suitable community resources by developing individual wellness plans.

14. Using a “what matters to you” approach refers seniors to community=based services, observes and assesses the participant’s engagement with resources including (example: emotional, psychological, and functional status), and modifies activities to meet the participant’s changing needs.

15. Provides information regarding appropriate community resources to socially support the participant and their families.

16. Effectively collaborates within the Agency’s and community’s Seniors Services to provide multidisciplinary care for the best interest of the senior.

17. Assists with connection to a primary care provider.

18. Engages and participates in educational training for seniors on topics such as healthy aging and other relevant topics.

Documentation of referrals

19. Documents participant’s interactions, wellness plans, reports, and other administrative duties as required.

20. Provision of follow-up note to continuing community health care provider if requested.

Evaluation

21. Participates in evaluation of programs including collection of participant data, reporting at regular intervals, and attending communities of practices.

Position term:

24 hours per week

Starts: April 2024, to Mar 31, 2025. subject to probation and funding.

The intention is that this position is permanent subject to funding.

Salary:

Commensurate with experience

Starting at $25.00 per hour

Application Process:

Submit to Houston Link to Learning hiring committee:

1. Resume (including references)

2. Cover Letter

Drop off:

Houston Link to Learning – Morice Building 3221 14th St West.

Email: manager@houstonlinktolearning.ca

Closing Date: This position will stay open until filled.

Please note: Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Salary: From $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 24 per week

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Extended health care
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Houston, BC V0J 1Z0: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person