Resident Assistant (Assisted Living) Job Description

Updated on: March 3, 2018

Position Overview

As a vital part of assisted living facilities, resident assistants provide long-term care to the elderly or people with disabilities.

They help them handle the demands of everyday life such as providing personal hygiene support. A significant part of a resident assistant’s job is to provide non-acute nursing care which may include administering medication under supervision or changing dressings.

Some facilities require that an individual who wants to work as a resident assistant in an assisted living facility should possess post-secondary education.

On the other hand, a high school diploma is usually sufficient to apply for this position. Resident assistants typically work in nursing homes or as part of a retirement community and may work full or part-time depending on their work setting and interest. Some even work weekends and on night shifts. They need to be able to work flexible hours as their work hours are usually irregular.

Resident assistants usually become essential parts of residents’ lives in a facility owing to the very personal nature of their work. Since they provide support in toileting, bathing, dressing, cooking and even serving food; residents often become entirely dependent on them.

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Resident Assistant (Assisted Living) Job Description 

 

• Assist residents with activities of daily living such as toileting, bathing, and dressing.

• Cook and serve meals according to each resident’s nutritional needs.

• Observe residents’ conditions and report any significant changes to healthcare professionals.

• Take and record vitals.

• Ensure that food intake information is maintained.

• Supervise exercise programs.

• Change dressings if required.

• Assist residents with walking and moving in and out of bed.

• Assist with mobility and range of motion

• Clean rooms and other common areas around the facility.

• Change linen and ensure that any soiled linen is transported to the laundry room immediately.

• Administer medication as per the health chart provided by the healthcare professional.

• Assist residents with routine recreational activities.

• Collect and do laundry and ensure that each resident’s laundry is delivered back to the room.

• Ensure that each resident is comfortable in their room.

• Attempt to resolve residents’ issues by employing tact and compassion.

• Act as a “shoulder” in times of residents’ distress.

• Drive or accompany residents to recreational activities or health care appointments.

• Transport residents through wheelchairs.

• Greet visitors and direct them to the right room.

• Develop positive and relational bonds with residents by engaging them in conversation.

• Respond to emergencies by employing training in charting out emergency management plans.