Therapeutic Recreation Assistant

About the role

This is paraprofessional therapy work providing therapeutic services in the area of specialization to patients of a County long term care nursing facility. A position in this class, under the direct supervision of a therapeutic recreation supervisor, provides recreational activities to nursing home residents. Work includes planning and directing individual and/or group patient activities or programs, in the area of specialization, and may involve instructing and overseeing lower-level workers and volunteers.

Schedule

FT – M-F with occasional weekends & nights, hours 9a-5p.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements therapeutic recreation programs.
• Sets up and adjusts various types of equipment and supplies used by residents in such programs.
• Takes projects to individual resident's rooms and assists residents.
• Observes the progress and reaction of residents; records such progress and makes reports on individual cases to higher level personnel.
• Maintains records and prepares reports and charts.
• Demonstrates therapeutic activities, programs, and exercises for, trains and oversees work of volunteers; assists them with problems, suggesting ways to handle particular issues or residents.
• Transports residents.
• Prepares, sets up equipment needed for programs and activities, and assists in maintaining inventory equipment and supplies.
• Performs related work as required.

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of goals, objectives, principles and practices pertaining to therapeutic recreation in long-term care.
• Thorough knowledge of therapeutic recreation methods and techniques applicable to individuals in a long-term care nursing facility.
• Knowledge of physical, mental, emotional and other factors affecting geriatric residents' needs, interests and capacities.
• Knowledge of governmental regulations and requirements governing therapeutic recreation.
• Ability to plan, assign and review the work of lower-level staff members and volunteers engaged in providing therapeutic recreation services.
• Ability to assess individual resident needs and document and monitor those needs.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, representatives of social, community and other organizations, and residents, including securing their participation in recreational activities.
• Ability to maintain records of activities and prepare reports of same.

Acceptable Training & Experience:

• Education equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.
• Two to three years of paraprofessional experience providing therapeutic recreation services and documentation which has included exposure in a long-term care program.
• First preference will be given to an individual with a BS in Therapeutic Recreation and a CTRS (Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist).
• Required Experience – At least 5 years of substantiated experience working in a Long-term Care Activities or Therapeutic Recreation or Life Enrichment Department and/or a BS in Therapeutic Recreation.
• If multiple candidates have the same amount of required Activities/T.R./L.E. experience, then the candidate with more seniority at Cedarbrook will be chosen.