Position Overview
An individual support specialist may be hired in a personal capacity, or through a support services facility.
A person working at this position is required to provide assigned patients with assistance in handling everyday tasks, including washing, bathing, toileting, and grooming.
Usually, individual support specialists are tasked with handling individuals with physical or emotional disabilities. It is easy to imagine that this work is not something that everyone is cut out for!
Position Requirements
A high school diploma or a GED equivalent is usually sufficient to work as an individual support specialist. However, if you have had some experience of working in this capacity, you will be considered a great contender to hire.
To be considered eligible for this position, experience is not all that you need. Having established the fact that not all people are capable of working at this position, one has to be exceptionally talented in looking after other people, and providing the type of support that they need – on an individualized basis.
Basically, an individual support specialist is hired to provide one on one services to patients / clients, and it is important for him or her to be compassionate and kind. If you are inherently patient, you will be able to handle your clients in a proper manner. Some of the main duties that you will be performing in the capacity of an individual support specialist are listed below:
Individual Support Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
• Go through individualized care plans for each assigned patient to determine what is required in terms of physical and emotional care.
• Engage patients in conversation to determine their personalities, and to make them comfortable with acquiring help.
• Assist patients with tasks of daily life, such as bathing, toileting, and grooming, while maintaining their integrity and self-respect.
• Provide patients with assistance in partaking meals, and record their intake for the doctors’ benefit.
• Ascertain that patients’ surroundings are kept clean and sanitized at all times, so that diseases are kept at bay.
• Provide patients with assistance by running errands, including paying bills and shopping for groceries.
• Ascertain that medication reminders are provided on time, and help patients take their medication in a timely manner.
• Transport patients to medical units and appointments, and accompany them on community gatherings.
• Provide First Aid and CPR during emergencies, ensuring patients’ safety and wellbeing at all times.
• Teach patients’ families how to handle their loved ones, placing special focus on their wellbeing and safety.
• Ascertain that all patients are kept safe and secure by making sure that their surroundings are properly secured.