Student Home Health Aid Respite Program

Job Description:

Attention current students: We are looking for people who love the elderly and would be interested in working as part of a meaningful program.

I. Position Summary:

The Hebrew SeniorLife Hospice is designed to provide a Jewish Hospice service to terminally ill patients and their families in the greater Boston area. The philosophy of the Hospice is rooted in Hessed (loving kindness), and Kevod HaBeriyot (honoring life), but Hebrew SeniorLife Hospice Care is open to anyone regardless of religious affiliation; our mission is informed by Jewish values that are shared across many faith traditions and spiritual belief systems.

Hebrew SeniorLife Hospice works collaboratively with patients and families in the final months, weeks, and days of life, with the goal of achieving optimum healing of body and soul when curing is no longer an option. This means helping the patient and family with: physical comfort, emotional and spiritual support, and companionship. The Hospice goal is to help every patient at the end attain a peaceful and pain free death and support the healing and bereavement of the family.

Hospice Aides often spend more time with the patient than anyone else on the team, providing hands-on care to frail patients near the end of their lives. This is an extraordinary opportunity to have a deeply meaningful impact on patients' quality of life and to know that your work is making a positive difference.

II. Core Competencies:

• Communication

• Share information with residents, family, staff and providers

• Present information in language understandable to all

• Listen with an open mind

• Express disagreement in a tactful and sensitive manner

• Facilitate discussion around different points of view to find resolution

• Adaptability

• Adjust to meet the individual needs of the resident, family and staff

• Consider others' views, education, working styles, culture and values

• Appreciate differences and capitalize on them to be most effective

• Prioritize effectively

• Respond calmly to unexpected change or frustration

• Relationship Building

• Relate to all in an open, friendly and respectful manner

• Instill trust

• Create an atmosphere where everyone's story is valued

• Encourage and accept expression of both positive and negative feelings

• Initiate and develop relationships with new residents, staff and families

• Promote a collaborative atmosphere

• Excellence

• Provide the highest level of care to our residents

• Promote a healing environment for physical and spiritual needs

• Advocate to foster and maintain a safe environment for our residents, families and facility staff

• Foster an atmosphere of autonomy, dignity and choice

• Continually evaluate our care and processes, and make improvements based on quality performance

• Deliver care that is evidence based

• Demonstrate dependability and accountability with all duties

III. Position Responsibilities:

• Provides personal care services to Hospice and Home Care patients as prescribed by the physician and in compliance with the state's nurse practice act, Federal Regulations and any other regulations defining Massachusetts's Hospice Aide services.

• Gives emotional and physical support to terminally ill individuals and their families/significant others. Assists in improving the terminally ill individual's quality of life during the final stage of life.

• Offers respite care to the families and significant others who are caring for terminally ill individuals in the home.

• Maintains and promotes the independence of the patient and family and assists in maintaining a safe, healthful environment.

• Exhibits kindness, gentleness, and respect to patients and families at every visit.

• Participates in the Hospice Interdisciplinary Group (IDG) meetings as appropriate.

• Assists with personal care activities including:

• Baths (tub, showers, bed, bath)

• Mouth care, denture care, skin care, foot care

• Grooming (shampoo, dry and comb hair; shave, ordinary care of nails)

• Transferring (bed to chair, to wheelchair, to tub, to shower)

• Dressing and undressing activities

• Ambulation

• Turning patient in bed and positioning for comfort

• Assists with household tasks directly essential to the patient's health, including:

• Planning and preparing meals

• Assisting in feeding patient if appropriate

• Light housekeeping of patient's immediate environment

• Changing linen, making bed

• Laundering of patient's clothing and bedding

• Measures and records oral, rectal, axillary temperatures, pulse, respiration and blood pressure when ordered (within the training limitations of the aide).

• Meets safety needs of patients including safe use of equipment (foot stools, side rails, step stools, wheelchairs, oxygen, etc.)

• Performs range of motion and other simple procedures as an extension of therapy services as ordered (within the training limitations of the aide).

• Assists the patient in self-administration of medication, i.e., reminding the patients to take their medications.

• Performs or assists patients to perform activities in accordance with the personal services care plan, such as change ostomy appliances, reinforce or change simple non-sterile dressings, measure intake or output, external catheter care, and any other tasks as taught and supervised by the RN and in adherence to state/federal regulations.

• Accurately documents services provided in accordance with Hospice policies and procedures on the day services are rendered. Submits documentation in a timely manner.

• Cares for individuals who are recovering from surgery or are living with acute/chronic illness.

• Assists and supports clients through changes in health status with a goal of improving independence and home safety.

• Participates in staff development programs as appropriate for home health aides. Assumes personal responsibility to participate in discipline appropriate education to meet the annual education requirements (12 hours/12 months).

IV. Qualifications:

• Completion of state recognized and federally compliant training program and/or competency evaluation and at least six-months experience as a Home Health Aide.
• Compliant with in-service regulations and requirements.
• Must be able to function in a practice environment with minimal direct supervision, accepting personal responsibility for maintaining a professional relationship with the Hospice's patients and their families.
• Ability to meet Home Care & Hospice's conditions of employment regarding health clearance, and provision of references.
• Transports self to patient's home/facility, may be in multiple locations in a workday.
• Requires access to a reliable vehicle and a valid Massachusetts Drivers License.

V. Physical Requirements:

• Must pass Occupational Health Clearance
• Physical Requirements listed in Occupational Health

Remote Type

Hebrew SeniorLife is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.