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Dickinson Center,
Inc. Dickinson Center, Inc. would like to introduce you to direct support positions within our Community Residential Program. In order to become a caregiver, you must be 21 years of age and have your high school diploma or GED. You also need a valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record. Should you apply and interview for a position, your health, criminal, and child abuse history will be reviewed to determine employment eligibility. Your availability to work shifts that occur evenings, overnights, weekends, and holidays will be important. We provide supports around the clock in all of our group homes, and we need staff who can be flexible in their work schedules. We recruit staff who are reliable and who desire to help others. As a caregiver, you will support people in their homes. You will provide assistance with cooking meals, house cleaning, and laundry. For some consumers, you may be helping with personal care such as bathing, dressing or eating. You may be assisting people in taking medications, attending medical appointments, or exercising. Many of our consumers have physical disabilities. They may need assistance transferring from a wheelchair to a bed, moving from a sitting position to a standing position, or walking on uneven ground. Although in many of these situations you will have equipment to assist you, it will be important that you are able to lift over fifty pounds. The range of job duties will vary with respect to the people you work with. All of the people you will support will have a mental retardation diagnosis. If you have not spent much time supporting people with intellectual disabilities, it can be difficult to decide if this job is for you. Many direct care staff consider their work to be very rewarding. The primary role of a caregiver is to provide daily support in the home and in the community. You will need to understand and follow the many agency, county, state, and federal policies and regulations that drive our services. You will attend staff meetings and training, which may occur outside of your regular shift. You will read and write various documents each day, including communication logs, medication logs, day sheets, and case notes. You will communicate with family members, case managers, and physicians. You will also transport consumers to their activities using an agency vehicle. Our preference is to have each staff member have the same work schedule each week, although schedules are often adjusted to meet the needs of the consumers. Starting wages are based on experience. Our extensive benefits package is partially based on the number of hours you are hired to work each week, and includes a Paid Time Off (PTO) program. Every employee begins in an introductory period. This will help you transition into your new job, learn the skills you need, and become more confident in your abilities. You will receive a minimum of 24 hours of training each fiscal year. Your training time is all paid time. Training topics will include first aid, CPR, and medication administration. Additional training information will allow you to make informed decisions about health concerns, behavioral challenges, and many other unique issues presented by those consumers you support. You may work with consumers that display behaviors that you find challenging. This might mean that, depending on the situation, a person could yell at you, call you names, spit on you, or hit you. You would not be sent to work with people who have these challenging behaviors without knowledge or specific training on how to help prevent these situations from occurring, and how to respond when they do occur. With training, you will learn to respond to people in a way that lets them slow down and move on. You will be required to work as a member of a team. Your training will include shadowing your co-workers and spending time with your supervisor. It will be important that you ask questions in order to fully understand what you are expected to do. One of the most essential aspects of your introductory period is getting to know the consumers you will be supporting. This will occur over time. It will be important to read the consumers’ records and understand their family history and life experiences. More importantly, they will need to spend time with you so that a solid trusting relationship can be established. Additional information on employment opportunities within the community residential setting is available by contacting Wendy Hann, Residential Program Director, Potter County @ 814-274-3253 or Lynne Childs, Residential Program Director, Elk County @ 814-772-2005 x444. |