Community Support Worker

Job Description

Job Description

CSW (Community Support Worker)

Location: Edmonton and surrounding area

Schedules Available

• Day: 7:00am–3:00pm (6 days on / 3 days off)
• Evening: 3:00pm–11:00pm (6 days on / 3 days off)
• Overnight Awake: 11:00pm–7:00am (6 days on / 3 days off)
• Temporary Casual: Minimum three shifts per month

Role Summary

This Community Support Worker role reports to the Program Supervisor, offering support for older adults with complex health and well-being needs, including individuals transitioning from extended hospital stays (often spanning multiple years) into community-based settings.

The work is hands-on, structured, and responsibility-heavy. Employee provides personal care, safe transfers, incontinence support, medication administration, and high-quality observation and documentation.

The role requires strong clinical awareness, critical thinking, and the ability to recognize early health or behavioural changes that may signal escalating risk or the need for intervention.

You will support individuals who experience periods of acute mental health instability, requiring calm presence, consistency, and sound judgement to maintain safety, dignity, and stability in the community.

The Support Environment

Individuals supported in this program may present with:

• Mobility limitations and elevated fall risk
• Incontinence and daily peri-care needs
• Complex medical histories with recurring or fluctuating health concerns that may impact mental health stability
• Periods of acute psychosis, agitation, or behavioural dysregulation
• Swallowing or feeding safety considerations requiring careful meal preparation and pacing
• Rigid routines, heightened environmental sensitivity, or fixations that impact daily functioning and stress levels

What You’ll Do

Complex Personal Care & Mobility Support

• Provide daily showering, toileting, peri-care, continence care, and hygiene routines with privacy, consent, and dignity.
• Support safe transfers and mobility, using consistent techniques to reduce risk and maintain independence where possible.

Medication Administration & PRN Awareness

• Administer scheduled medications and document accurately in accordance with policy and care plans.
• Demonstrate strong understanding of PRNs, including indications, monitoring expectations, and behavioural or health implications.
• Observe, document, and communicate medication effects or concerns promptly.

Health Observation, Early Detection, and Escalation

• Monitor and track baseline and changes in:
  • Mood, affect, thought patterns, agitation, aggression
  • Energy, sleep, appetite, pain indicators, and overall presentation
  • Emerging patterns that may indicate health or mental health destabilization
• Use sound judgement to escalate appropriately to Supervisors, on-call supports, or emergency services when required.

Psychosis-Informed Support & Safety

• Provide calm, structured, and consistent support during periods of mental health instability.
• Apply de-escalation strategies and therapeutic communication to reduce risk and prevent escalation.
• Manage safety risks including falls, behavioural incidents, and self-harm risk using approved safety plans and protocols.

Environment, Routine, and Predictability

• Maintain an organized, supportive environment that promotes regulation and stability.
• Follow established routines and expectations that reduce distress and support emotional safety.
• Support healthy boundaries while adapting to individual needs and triggers.

Documentation & Coordination

• Complete thorough documentation including narrative notes, symptom tracking, incident reports, and trend awareness.
• Coordinate appointments, follow-ups, and communication with external health providers in collaboration with the Program Supervisor and on-call team.

What Success Looks Like

• You identify and document subtle changes before they escalate into crises.
• Medications and PRNs are administered safely, consistently, and accurately documented.
• Personal care is delivered professionally and respectfully, even during challenging moments.
• You maintain structure and calm during mental health instability without escalating power struggles.
• You know when to manage independently and when escalation is required.

Who This Role Fits Best

This role is well-suited for applicants with experience in:

• Acute care, long-term care, or supportive living environments
• Hospital-based support or mental health units
• Community disability or mental health support roles involving medications and personal care
• Roles requiring high observation standards, strong documentation, and comfort with complex health presentations

Required Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated experience providing hands-on personal care and supporting mobility and transfers
• Comfort supporting individuals experiencing acute mental health symptoms and behavioural escalation
• Strong observation, documentation, and follow-through skills
• Sound judgement in crisis or risk scenarios and ability to escalate appropriately
• Ability to prepare meals safely with awareness of swallowing or feeding considerations

Assets (Strongly Valued)

• Experience with medication administration and PRN workflows
• Background in environments requiring close health and behavioural monitoring
• Training or experience in mental health support, de-escalation, or crisis response
• Experience supporting individuals with rigid routines, environmental sensitivities, or complex behaviours
• Education in Human Services, Disability Studies, Psychology, Social Work, Community Rehabilitation, or related fields

Compliance Requirements

• Active Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License
• Clear Alberta Driver’s Abstract
• Standard/Intermediate First Aid with CPR Level C
• $2M Alberta Auto Insurance Liability coverage
• Clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector (within 5 months)
• Clear Intervention Record Check (within 5 months)

Physical Requirements

• Able to perform lift assist with the individual in care (to perform safe transfers and mobility)
• Ability to walk and stand for extended periods
• Bend, kneel, crouch, and maintain balance to reduce fall risk
• Perform repetitive tasks and detailed documentation

The Perks

• Group RRSP matching after 1 year of active full-time employment.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program and Health, Dental, and Vision benefits.
• We are partnered with ZayZoon, an employee benefit that gives you instant access to your wages ahead of payday.
  
• Career growth within a growing organization
• Technology-supported care workflows with mobile access
• Cornell University TCI (Therapeutic Crisis Intervention) training
• Ongoing professional development
• Strong supervisory and on-call support, complex care is never done alone

We thank all applicants for applying; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

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