Dementia Support | Regular Ongoing Shifts
Allegiance Heart & Home Care is seeking a compassionate, reliable and experienced Casual Support Worker to provide regular in-home care to an older female client living in Richmond, Victoria.
The client lives in her own home and has vascular dementia. She requires gentle prompting, reassurance, supervision and practical assistance to maintain her personal care, nutrition, safety and independence. The ideal worker will be patient, engaging, confident in dementia support and able to build a consistent and trusting relationship with the client.
The successful applicant should be available for the following ongoing shifts:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 4:00 pm–5:00 pm Thursday: 4:00 pm–6:00 pm Saturday: 12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Hours to increase in the next month or 2.
Total current hours: 7 hours per week
Preference will be given to applicants who can commit to the full roster and provide consistent support.
Duties will vary depending on the client’s needs and may include:
- Providing welfare and safety checks
- Microwaving and serving prepared meals
- Sitting with the client and encouraging her to eat
- Prompting with grooming and brushing her teeth
- Assisting the client to change into clean clothing
- Providing personal care and continence support as required
- Assisting with showering twice each week, preferably on Tuesdays and Fridays
- Fully supervising the client during showering
- Assisting with washing, drying and dressing
- Checking whether scheduled medication has been taken and prompting where required
- Checking that the client’s personal alarm is charged and worn before leaving
- Providing companionship and engaging the client in friendly conversation
- Using reassurance and gentle redirection when the client is confused or reluctant
- Monitoring mobility and ensuring her walker is within reach
- Completing detailed electronic progress notes after each shift
- Reporting any changes in appetite, behaviour, mobility, continence or general wellbeing
The extended Thursday shift will also include domestic-support tasks such as:
- Laundry and operating the washing machine
- Hanging clothes using pegs
- Folding and putting away clothing
- Washing dishes
- Vacuuming
- Mopping
- Emptying the vacuum cleaner
- General household tidying
- Taking bins out
- Checking and reporting low household or food supplies
Personal care, meals and the client’s immediate wellbeing must always take priority.
The client enjoys conversation and previously worked in education or administration. She speaks English and responds best to workers who communicate clearly, patiently and respectfully.
She walks with a walker, including inside the home, and requires close supervision during personal care and showering.
The client has a friendly dog. Applicants must be comfortable working in a home with a pet; however, the support worker will not be responsible for caring for the dog.
The ideal applicant will:
- Have experience supporting older people living with dementia
- Be calm, patient and emotionally reassuring
- Have clear and confident spoken English
- Be comfortable providing personal and continence care
- Be able to encourage participation without forcing the client
- Understand the importance of dignity, choice and independence
- Be observant and able to report changes promptly
- Be reliable and punctual for short, regular shifts
- Be comfortable around dogs
- Be able to complete detailed progress notes after every visit
Applicants must have:
- Certificate III in Individual Support, Aged Care, Disability or a related qualification
- Current First Aid and CPR certificates
- Current National Police Check
- NDIS Worker Screening Check or willingness to obtain one
- Valid Australian working rights
- Previous aged-care or dementia-support experience
- A reliable mobile phone for communication and electronic documentation
- Availability for the advertised roster
A current driver’s licence and reliable vehicle are desirable.
- Regular casual shifts with the same client
- A consistent weekly roster
- Support from an experienced Case Manager
- A clear care plan and detailed service instructions
- Opportunities for additional shifts with other clients
- Meaningful work supporting an older person to remain safely at home
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your aged-care or dementia-support experience. Please also confirm your availability for the full advertised roster.
