Therapeutic Recreation Leader (At-Will)

About the Role

The work of this class involves creating, implementing, and leading therapeutic recreational programs for older adults with physical, cognitive, and intellectual disabilities. Responsibilities include recognizing emergencies and other health-threatening conditions for participants at the Adult Day Services Center, assisting with personal hygiene, physical and cognitive activities, and social interactions. This role also involves creating and implementing behavior treatment plans, communicating concerns, and making recommendations regarding participants' behavioral problems to supervisors, the center nurse, and the center director. The incumbent plans and implements program goals and objectives, initiates program activities, and works independently under the general direction of a Therapeutic Recreation Manager.

Responsibilities

• Leads daily therapeutic recreational activities, instructs and demonstrates game methods, and motivates participants to actively engage in activities to enhance physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
• Inspects equipment and monitors activities to ensure safety standards are met and guidelines are followed.
• Observes participants for changes in medical conditions and behavior; removes participants from groups when behavior becomes inappropriate.
• Provides direct care to physically and cognitively impaired participants, including toileting, changing soiled clothing, and assisting with colostomy bags.
• Assists with ambulation, redirects confused and wandering participants, and maintains a safe environment.
• Plans and evaluates activities, schedules appropriate groups, ensures all materials are safe and available, and purchases supplies not available through City contracts.
• Uses community resources, publications, and the internet to enhance the activity program and research new ideas.
• Keeps accurate documentation of participants' progress, Medicaid case notes, assessments, daily attendance records, USDA food program records, transportation and billing records, and reconciliation of monthly credit card expenses.
• Orders and shops for monthly food supplies, prepares monthly breakfast and snack menus, and answers telephone inquiries.
• Records accurate temperatures of catered lunch items; prepares and serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
• Provides direction to temporary staff, Title V workers, volunteers, and summer youth employees; assigns projects, monitors time sheets, and reports discrepancies.
• Performs housekeeping duties, including kitchen clean-up, sanitizing utensils, laundry, human waste cleanup, and maintaining a neat and safe environment.
• Opens and closes the center, ensures safe arrival and departure of participants, and conducts walk-throughs to lock/unlock doors and check for hazards.
• Administers medications in the absence of the Center Nurse, reads doctors' orders, fills out medical administration records, and monitors blood pressures.
• Completes incident reports in the event of a fall, serious accident, or lost participant.
• Performs related work as required.

Requirements

• Two-year college degree.
• Good knowledge of the social and recreational sciences, including the theory, principles, and practices of therapeutic recreation.
• Ability to acquire appropriate certification in CPR and First Aid within the first three months of employment.
• Completion of a minimum 40-hour training program consistent with Department of Medical Assistance Services requirements or Nursing Assistant Certification.
• Valid driver's license issued by the State of residence.
• Pre-employment drug test, criminal records check, and TB test.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in therapeutic activities, preferably in an adult day care program setting or a directly related field working with frail and impaired older adults and persons with disabilities.
• Completion of college-level courses in gerontology, including therapeutic recreation.
• Appropriate certification from the National Certification Council for Activities Professionals.

About the Department

The Center for Adult Services (CAS) provides programs and services in Aging; Adult Protective Services; Clinical & Emergency Services; and Community & Residential Support Services for seniors and for persons with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders. CAS provides compassionate and effective person-centered services based on best practices. Our teams support self-determination, safety, and recovery for Alexandria residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse disorders.

Schedule

This is an At-Will (PRN) position. Minimum numbers of hours are not guaranteed. As an Essential Employee, staff will be expected to be at work during weekends, holidays, or inclement weather if they have been scheduled.