About the Client:
ITALIAN language a must.
We're seeking a compassionate, experienced caregiver for an 83-year-old woman living with advanced Alzheimer's-type dementia (stage 6 of 7) in Woodbridge. She lives at home with her 84-year-old husband who is experiencing caregiver burnout and needs reliable morning support. While she can still walk with assistance and eat independently, she requires significant help with personal care, medication reminders, and daily routines. She responds exceptionally well to music, particularly Italian songs, and can sing along to familiar tunes. She has limited mobility and uses a walker for short distances around the home. The client may exhibit resistance to personal care tasks and can become aggressive at times, though she responds well to patient, non-threatening approaches with song, redirection, and gentle encouragement. She is currently on Risperdal which has significantly improved cooperation with care tasks.
Responsibilities:
Provide consistent morning care for approximately 3 hours, five days per week (Monday through Friday). Primary duties include assisting with diaper changes and pull-up management, supporting morning hygiene routines, helping with breakfast preparation and encouraging eating, administering oral medication reminders (father primarily manages medications but caregiver support with encouragement is needed), and light housekeeping including cleaning and laundry. Additional responsibilities include engaging the client with music therapy using Italian songs, encouraging short walks around the home with walker assistance, looking at familiar photos together, and attempting brief outdoor visits when weather permits (typically 5 minutes). The caregiver should focus on maintaining the client's quality of life through gentle stimulation, companionship, and respect for her dignity and independence.
What We're Looking For:
We need someone with demonstrated experience caring for individuals with advanced dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease. The ideal caregiver is patient, calm, and skilled at using redirection and creative approaches to encourage cooperation with personal care tasks. Experience with clients who may be resistant or occasionally aggressive is essential. Familiarity with Italian language or culture is strongly preferred, as the client responds remarkably well to caregivers who can speak some Italian or Tagalog. We're looking for someone reliable and consistent who can build trust and routine with the client, as caregiver consistency is critical for someone at this stage of dementia. The caregiver must be comfortable working independently while respecting the father's presence in the home, and willing to learn the family's specific techniques during a shadowing period with the daughter. Strong communication skills are essential for providing updates to the family care manager and adapting to the client's changing daily needs.
Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 3-hour morning shifts (start can be between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM).Potential for additional hours during a two-week period in summer when family is on vacation, though this would require advance notice and may involve a different caregiver depending on availability.
