Caregiver

Company Overview

Senior Helpers of Niagara Falls is a locally owned in-home care provider. We partner with families to provide personal support that helps their loved ones stay safe, comfortable, and independent in the place they love most: home. We value our caregivers as the heart of what we do and we’re building a team that will make us Niagara’s most trusted name in senior care.

Job Overview

At Senior Helpers, by delivering person-centered care built on dignity, reliability, and close partnership with families you make a visible impact within the community. As a Personal Support Worker, you'll help seniors live safely and independently at home by assisting with personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming; supporting mobility and safe transfers; preparing meals and providing medication reminders; helping with light housekeeping and errands; and offering companionship that brightens their day.

Key Responsibilities

Personal Support Services

• Assist clients with activities of daily living, including bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, and mobility
• Support safe transfers, positioning, and movement in accordance with training and care plan instructions
• Assist with eating, hydration, and nutrition as outlined in the care plan
• Provide continence care in accordance with the care plan and training
• Provide medication reminders as directed by the care plan; medication administration remains within the scope of regulated nursing staff and is outside the PSW role

Companionship and Social Support

• Engage clients in meaningful conversation and social activities
• Provide emotional support and reassurance
• Support reduced isolation and continued participation in community life
• Support participation in hobbies, routines, and preferred activities

Homemaking and Household Assistance

• Perform light housekeeping related to client wellbeing and safety
• Assist with laundry
• Prepare or assist with meals in accordance with dietary needs and preferences
• Support grocery shopping and essential errands as outlined in the care plan

Community Participation, Dementia Support, and Respite

• Accompany clients to appointments, activities, and community outings
• Support routines, orientation, and familiar activities for clients living with dementia or cognitive changes, within scope and training
• Provide respite support to relieve family caregivers, on a planned or occasional basis, while maintaining continuity of care

Documentation, Safety, and Communication

• Deliver services according to assigned care plans, schedules, and duties, working strictly within defined role, training, and competency
• Document services accurately, completely, and in a timely manner
• Observe and report changes in client condition, hazards, incidents, or concerns to the Care Supervisor
• Escalate promptly any request or situation that falls outside the approved scope of the PSW role
• Maintain professional boundaries and respectful, ethical conduct at all times
• Follow WHMIS, infection prevention, PPE, and workplace safety practices in client homes and community settings
• Safeguard client privacy and confidentiality in accordance with organizational policy and applicable privacy legislation

Qualifications and Requirements

Education and Certification

• Completion of a recognized Personal Support Worker (PSW) certificate program (e.g., a program meeting the Ontario Personal Support Worker Training Standard), or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable to Senior Helpers
• Current, valid CPR and First Aid certification
• Satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening / police record check, completed prior to hire and maintained as required by policy
• Willingness to complete WHMIS awareness training and organizational orientation prior to independent service delivery

Experience and Skills

• Prior experience providing personal care or support services in a home care, retirement, or long-term care setting is an asset
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with clients, families, and the care team
• Sound judgment and the ability to recognize and escalate situations beyond the scope of the role
• Physical ability to safely perform the essential duties of the role, including assisting with transfers and mobility support

Other Requirements

• Reliable means of transportation; a valid Ontario driver’s licence and access to a vehicle insured for business use may be required for certain assignments
• Ability to travel to and work in client homes, retirement settings, and community locations across the assigned service area
• Legally entitled to work in Canada

Working Conditions

Work is performed primarily in client homes, retirement residences, and community settings. The role may involve physical demands such as assisting with transfers, positioning, and mobility support, and exposure to household or care-related hazards addressed through WHMIS-aligned safety practices and personal protective equipment. Schedules may include days, evenings, weekends, and statutory holidays based on client and business needs.

Reporting Relationship and Scope of Role

The Personal Support Worker reports to the designated Care Supervisor, or directly to the Franchise Owner where no supervisor has been assigned. The PSW is a non-regulated Care Team Member and must work at all times within the defined scope of the role, training, and the client’s documented care plan. Any service request, clinical concern, or situation that falls outside this scope must be escalated promptly through established reporting channels; the PSW must never provide clinical assessment, diagnosis, medication administration, or nursing interventions.

Legislative and Regulatory Alignment

This position operates in alignment with Senior Helpers policies and applicable Ontario legislation, including but not limited to:

• Employment Standards Act (ESA)
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)
• Ontario Human Rights Code
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
• Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA)
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA), where applicable

Acknowledgement

This job description reflects the general nature and scope of the Personal Support Worker role and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Duties may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with organizational needs, client care plans, and applicable policy.

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