The Green House at Calvary is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church. We want our establishment to feel different for those who enter. We minister to those who live with us, work with us, and visit with us.
At the Green House, our caregivers are universal workers called Caritas. In the Green House world, a unique name is given to those who are the Elder Care Assistants because they accomplish so much more than providing care. This empowering word comes from the Latin word meaning to cherish, to appreciate, to give special attention, if not loving, attention to. It is a term in Christian theology (one of the three theological virtues), meaning loving kindness towards others; it is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. In its most extreme form charity can be self-sacrificial.
The primary role of the Caritas is to PROTECT, SUSTAIN, and NURTURE our elders.
The caritas form a self managed work team with 7 coordinator roles that rotate every 3 months. Each full time caritas is given the opportunity to fulfill each role and be accountable to the other caritas in that role. By rotating coordinator roles, all caritas hold all responsibilities of the home. The reason The Green House believes in this self managed work team is because the caritas are the very ones who are engaging with the elders on a very personal level daily. They are aware of their needs far more than any CEO would be. The coordinator roles are TEAM, FOOD, HOUSEKEEPING, SCHEDULING, CARE, ACTIVITY, and CHAPLAIN.
An applicant should have an interest in caring for elders, a willingness to work as a member of a team, and an understanding of the requirements of the position.
EDUCATION:
A Caritas will complete:
- CNA training
- ServSafe training
- CPR and first aid training
- Green House Specific training
- Medication Supervision training
- Dementia Specific training
SKILLS REQUIRED:
The following are skills needed to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, the essential
functions of providing care to elders. The ability to:
- Recognize the autonomy and dignity of all elders
- Communicate a sense of caring, concern and dignity for elders
- Understand how to place decision making in the hands of the elders whenever possible and appropriate
- Make prompt and accurate judgments with regard to elder care and emergencies
- Work and communicate effectively as part of the self managed work team
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The caritas will provide care to the elders living in a Green House. Their primary role is to protect, sustain, and nurture the elders by providing assistance with activities of daily living and meeting other needs as required. The core goal of the work of the caritas will be to provide assistance which promotes a high quality of life and positive elderhood. The responsibilities of the caritas include care of the elders and the elders’ environment, including cooking, laundry, housekeeping. The caritas is a member of a self managed work team and is responsible for coordinationg aspects of the team’s work. There are 7 coordinator roles which are rotated every 3 months.
FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:
- Recognize and respond to the needs of the elders
- Promote autonomy of elder’s in decision making
- Report changes in the elder’s condition to the support team per Green House change in condition protocols
- Assist elder with personal care functions, including:
- Dental and mouth care
- Bathing
- Dressing and grooming
- Hair care
- Nail care
- Shaving
- Bowel and bladder care
- Other personal and hygiene care
- Observe and report the presence of pressure areas to prevent decubitis and provide skin care according to policy
- Make unoccupied beds and change bed linens
- Assit moving, positioning, and transporting elders into and out of beds, chairs, bathtubs, wheelchairs, etc.
- Communicate with co-workers at all levels to adequately meet the need of elders
- Meet with the support team as scheduled or needed to discuss elders’ needs and progress in identifying and correcting problems
- Report accidents and incidents when they occur
- Assist with and/or perform restorative and rehabilitative procedures as outlined by the care plan
- Measure and recore vital signs, such as temperature, pulse, respirations, weight, height, anatomical dimension/cicumference, etc.
- Report any resident abuse or suspected abuse to the Guide immediately
- Assist with the application of slings, elastic bandages, binders, etc.
- Observe, monitor, and report to the support team change in condition using the Green House change in condition protocols
- Attend and participate in orientation programs, on-going training, and educational classes
- Follow established safety precautions and observe, monitor, and intervene or report to the Guide unsafe conditions in the Green House
- Follow established smoking regulations and report violations
- Maintain confidentiality and privacy of elder care, procedures, and documentation
- Prepare, serve, and clean up after meals and snacks
- Launder clothing, linen, and other articles
- Clean and maintain the environment of the Green House
- Observe standard precautions per Green House policy
- Document observed data per organization policy
- Keep all areas of the Green House clean
- Prepare and serve meals, between meals, bedtime, and other nutritional snacks per the posted menu and the stated preferences of the elder
- Perform routine housekeeping duties
- Perform other related duties as required by the elder
ACCOUNTABILITY:
The caritas works cooperatively with the other caritas on the Green House Self Managed Work Team. The team and individual caritas work collaboratively with the Support Team (Guide, LPN, The Gardens department managers, and outside services). The self managed work team and individual caritas report to the Green House Guide in all other matters. The caritas seek counsel and assistance with problem solving from the Guide, Chaplain or the Sage.
