Job Summary: To improve the meal service so the residents can have a pleasant and satisfying dining experience for each meal.
Responsibilities:
- Initiate pre-dining entertainment if indicated. (Exp. Have music playing or offer coffee or juice to drink while waiting for a meal.
- Greet residents and help them to their assigned places.
- Keep seat assignments current as resident census changes.
- Pass out wet washcloths to each resident as needed for cleaning their hands and face.
- Place clothing protectors on residents who want to wear one.
- Assist with passing drinks to each resident
- Assist with passing trays, making sure each resident receives the correct diet
- Offer condiments, prepare bread or roll, cut up meat, and open containers.
- Be aware of a resident not eating and ask them why. Ask them if they want something else to eat. Try giving them a drink and then feed the first two or three bites to get them started and see if they will continue to feed themselves.
- Observe staff to ensure they are using the correct techniques when feeding. (Example: Not using their hands to handle the residents’ food, so that they do not have food or drink themselves while they are feeding the residents.)
- Know which residents require special utensils or other dietary aids and ensure they are available. Add a thickener to the drinks when needed.
- Encourage residents to consume all liquids on their tray and offer refills as needed.
- Remind staff to be seated next to or across from the residents they are feeding
- Document the percentage of meals consumed by each resident. If a resident does not eat more than 50%, offer them a meal replacement and put their name on the next supplement pass.
- Clean spilled food or other particles from the resident’s clothes, wheelchair, face, and hands before they leave the dining room. Ask residents not to take soiled napkins, cups, bread, etc., to their rooms.
- Assist in passing snacks and supplements between meals, make sure residents consume the snack, and it is not just left at their bedside. Also, offer additional fluids. Please make sure the water pitcher and glass are within the residents’ reach when they are in their rooms.
- Remember that residents in their beds need to have their head elevated to at least 45 degrees to prevent choking.
- Monitor dining room furniture and tablecloths for cleanliness.
Qualifications:
- Friendly, outgoing
- Compassion and respect toward the elderly
- Able to stand for prolonged periods
- Able to walk the length of the halls several times a day
- Able to speak, read, and write English language
- Ability to complete necessary documentation promptly
- Knowledge of basic nutrition requirements.
- Reliable transportation
- Ability to work well with other staff and receive instruction from a supervisor.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job effectively. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employees encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold and extreme heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Job Type: Part-time
Benefits:
- Employee assistance program
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Tuition reimbursement
Work Location: In person
