Under the direction of the Family Services Manager, the Dementia Care Specialist is responsible for enhancing direct assistance and professional intervention to individuals with early to mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) who are living alone in San Mateo and San Francisco Counties. The purpose of this position is to provide services and supports for individuals who are living alone with early and mid-stage ADRD, and to identify, educate and support informal caregivers or ‘care circles’ (family, neighbors, and friends). Services will include in-home assessments and support, coordination of community services (including day care and in-home care) and will be a member of the Chapter’s helpline team.
This is a full-time position, located in the San Jose, California office, and reports to the Family Services Manager.
Patient & Family Services
- Be the primary patient contact for individuals with ADRD enrolled in the Dementia Safety Net Project, identifying unmet needs
- Provide needs assessments, care planning, resource referral, advocacy, follow-up with individual with ADRD, ensuring all care planning needs are documented in the Chapter’s Constituent Relationship Management database and any grant related databases
- Work with the enrolled constituents to implement the project’s Care Circle model into individualized care plans.
- Provide follow up care consultations to individuals and their care circles in-office, by telephone and, if needed by home visitation
- Coordinate services for client with health and social service providers
- Attend weekly in-person meetings to communicate with Dementia Safety Net team and discuss case studies as needed.
- Attend assigned grant related meetings to increase visibility of the program
- Provide support to the Chapter’s 24/7 Helpline as assigned
Community Education & Outreach
- Coordinate and deliver education programs, professional trainings and support groups needed to meet goals of the grant
- Engage in outreach to medical groups and community agencies to promote services
Other Responsibilities
- Ensure all necessary data required by funders is collected
- Other duties as assigned
CULTURE OF COLLABORATION
- Fully engage in a culture where team collaboration is more highly valued than individual achievement.
- Work as a team to accomplish, if not exceed, organizational goals in the National Strategic Plan.
- Participate in Walk to End Alzheimer’s staff team and personal fundraising goals.
- Work at least one Walk to End Alzheimer’s on a weekend.
- Respond to public policy calls to action & participate in advocacy days.
- Enhance our culture of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the job.
- Preferred LCSW, LMFT or Certified Geriatric Care Manager
- 2 years experience in geriatric and/or Alzheimer’s care
- Record of speaking and writing on dementia and caregiver issues
- Care management and case documentation skills; ability to monitor and evaluate care plans, and refer to resources
- Ability to work with diverse communities and demonstrate inclusion
- Computer: word processing and database management
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Experience working with diverse communities
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Desire to help families cope with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
- Willingness to travel throughout service area
- Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings for support group meetings, educational presentations and special events
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently
- Self-starter, willing to take initiative