Summary: A Seniors Community Connector plays an integral role in bridging the gap between healthcare and social care. As a Social Prescribing professional, you will 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 with 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 is to assist older adults to age safely in the right place by providing them with the social connections they require to build and maintain partnerships and connections of community-based seniors services in your area.
Key Duties:
Community Development:
· Build and maintain networks within the community and strengthen relationships with the community-based senior serving sector.
· Use an asset-based community development approach to identify and mobilize individuals and organizations by providing support for older adults.
· Engages and participates in learning opportunities such as community of practices, planning tables or networking events.
Assessment and Management of Referrals:
· Connects, liaises, and establishes partnerships with local health care professionals to create and maintain referral pathways.
· Maintains an active caseload of seniors with short-term needs through referrals from health care professionals and community agencies.
· Prioritizes referrals to meet individual participant’s needs.
· Understand hospital discharge procedures to assist with supporting seniors transitioning back home following discharge.
· Implementing safety precautions when visiting seniors in the community, including their personal residence.
· Completes intake process to assess strengths, needs, abilities, and risks using motivational interviewing techniques such as active listening, conflict resolution and observing behaviors.
· 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.
· Interpret participants’ complex physical requirements and social needs.
· Maintains a high level of confidentiality in all matters related to clients and community partners.
Wellness Plan Development:
· Supports seniors to access appropriate range of activities and suitable community resources by developing individual wellness plans.
· Using a “what matters to you” approach to refer 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.
· Provides information regarding appropriate community resources to socially support the participants and their families.
· Effectively collaborates within the Agency’s and community’s Seniors Services to provide multidisciplinary care for the best interest of the senior.
· Assists with connection to a primary care provider.
· Engages and participates in educational training for seniors on topics such as healthy aging and other relevant topics.
Documentation of Referrals:
· Documents participant’s interactions, wellness plans, reports, and other administrative duties as required.
· Provision of follow-up notes to continuing community health care provider if requested.
Qualifications:
· Bachelor’s degree in social service or related Human Services field or a combination of relevant education and experience
· Strong knowledge of seniors’ issues and challenges related to healthy aging.
· Experience working with seniors and diverse populations from different cultures and socio- economic backgrounds.
· Knowledge of community resources, programs, and services.
· Minimum two (2) years recent related experience working with older adults and their families in a non-profit, community or health care setting.
· Demonstrated ability to connect with and support seniors.
· Demonstrated skills in the areas of crisis intervention and conflict resolution.
· Experience working with volunteers.
· Strong collaborative skills and proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all internal and external contacts.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to clearly explain instruction to others.
· Ability to work independently with strong time management and organizational skills.
· Excellent computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access.
· A valid Class 5 driver’s license and a reliable vehicle with appropriate insurance are required.
Email resume and cover letter to [email protected]
No phone calls please.
Thank you for your interest in the Seniors Community Connector role. Our internal vetting process will result in the top 5 applicants being contacted for an interview. If you do not receive further communication from us, it means there are other applicants in better alignment to our needs. Be on the look out for future career opportunities with us. We wish you success in your job seeking journey.
