Dementia Support Advisor, York

**Job description**

**Dementia Forward**
**George Armitage House**
**Church Lane**
**Burton Leonard**
**HG3 3SD**

**Tel: 01765 601224**
**Registered Charity 1148225**

**Dementia Support Advisor - homebased/fieldbased Job Description**

**Job title**: Dementia Support Advisor - homebased/fieldbased

1. Main purpose of the job
- To provide a service for people with Dementia by providing information, advice, practical and emotional support from the point of diagnosis throughout the course of the disease.

2. Position in the organisation
- Reports to the Dementia Support Service Manager
- Liaises at all levels internally and with health and social care professionals externally, as well as other providers.

3. Scope of the job
- To receive referrals that come in to Dementia Forward and act on them appropriately.
- To assess client’s needs and provide a clear planned approach to the person’s support needs. This is achieved through home visits, group work and phone.
- To record and maintain client record keeping.
- To deal with requests for advice and information.
- To facilitate client and carer support through the range of available services.
- Coordinate and facilitate weekly wellbeing groups (Spefically Brain Health Cafe Acomb on a Wednesday)
- To work flexibly to cover day services when needed.

4. Duties and key responsibilities
- Providing home visits to clients covering a wide geographic area. To assess support needs and to prepare individual plan of care to meet client and carer requirements.
- Draft and maintain a risk assessment for each client.
- Provide Dementia related information which will include signposting to other agencies if appropriate.
- Support for people at multi-disciplinary meetings e.g. continuing care assessments.
- Support volunteers within Dementia Forward’s services.
- Occasionally represent Dementia Forward at various events in the local area.
- Actively undertake mandatory training in the following areas: - Safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act, Health & Safety at work, Policies and Procedures, Lone Working, First Aid and Food Hygiene.
- Be prepared to undertake further training should it be deemed appropriate and relevant to the DSA role.
- Provide emotional support and empathy for people with dementia and their carers.
- Maintain responsibility for providing detailed information and advice regarding health and social care services and the services of other agencies in the local area.
- Maintain and update accurate and appropriate client records in line with data protection and confidentiality requirements.
- Be responsible for maintaining good communication standards and methods between clients, carers, staff and volunteers.
- Provide support at events and awareness sessions where required.
- Ensure clients at group events are enabled and engaged through meaningful communication and active participation.
- Facilitate support to people with dementia within groups and as individuals in the community, as part of a team.
- Be responsible for the reporting of risk on an on-going basis and maintaining sound health and safety practices for self, clients and colleagues.

In order to achieve the above, Dementia Support Advisors are expected to:

- Fully understand the opportunities that early diagnosis or pre-diagnosis support can present.
- Endeavour to learn and keep up dated on medical ‘jargon’ and new updates relevant to someone who has a memory problem or diagnosis.
- Maintain a good general overview of benefits and allowances e.g. Attendance Allowance, Pension Credits, Council Tax disregard - and know where to signpost people to in order to obtain these.
- Be aware of the information that is available from other organisations, internet etc but also be willing to research where needed.
- Acknowledge the need to ‘know’ the person they are supporting as much as possible by completing client profiles that will enhance the support DF can offer.
- Obtain and maintain a good knowledge of other providers and stakeholders in the area who can provide additional support to service users.

This job description is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements of the job content. The line manager may stipulate other reasonable requirements.

**Job Type**: Part-time

Pay: £13.79 per hour

Expected hours: 28 per week

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- Sick pay

Schedule:

- Day shift

**Education**:

- GCSE or equivalent (required)

Licence/Certification:

- Driving Licence (required)

Work Location: On the road

Reference ID: Dementia Support Advisor York 4 Days