Dementia Care Specialist

Full Job Description

The SC Department on Aging is seeking a dynamic individual to join our Caregiver and Alzheimer's Resource Division as a Dementia Care Specialist in the Trident Region serving Charleston, Berkley, and Dorchester Counties.

The ideal candidate must build and maintain effective working relationships, exercise judgment and discretion, and analyze needs/resources to create partnerships.

Strong communication skills, public presentation skills, proficiency in Microsoft Suite, and awareness of new services and trends are essential.

This position will require the utilization of a personal vehicle for travel and will be reimbursed at the government rate.

The candidate will advocate for individuals with Alzheimer's or related dementia (ADRD) and their family caregivers, make presentations, complete reports, and lead community meetings to assess needs and provide solutions and determine resources.

The person in this role will determine the needs of people living with ADRD and their family caregivers and recommend resources and networking solutions. Prepare reports on outstanding issues and advocate for initiatives that address immediate problems and provide insights to the community.

The Dementia Care Specialist (DCS) purpose is to support residents of South Carolina who suspect or have received a diagnosis of dementia, and their family caregivers. Regional Dementia Care Specialists will accomplish this through community outreach, providing support for dementia-specific programming, education, and connecting families affected by dementia to local resources.

*Provide person-centered care consultations to families affected by dementia, connecting them with appropriate support services and care planning tools.

Maintain a working knowledge of national, statewide, and community resources to help support those living with a dementia diagnosis and their family caregivers.

*Cultivate working relationships with regional community partners to provide opportunities to inform and support individuals living with dementia and their family caregivers.

Promote the concepts of dementia-friendly communities in the service area. *Obtain and maintain certification in pre-approved dementia-specific trainings through accredited programs.

Deliver pre-approved, standardized dementia-specific community education with an emphasis on creative methods to reach rural, minority, and underserved communities with consideration given to libraries, faith-based communities, recreation centers, educational institutions, businesses, and medical offices.

Provide outreach and education to professionals serving those impacted by dementia. Collect and report program data timely to contribute to the DCS program evaluation.

*Stay current on dementia topics, including research findings, new evidence-informed or evidence-based interventions, and innovations for people living with dementia and their family caregivers.

Participate actively in DCS statewide and regional meetings and training courses to ensure a high-quality, consistent and sustainable statewide program.

Assist colleagues by sharing experiences and resources while maintaining fidelity to the DCS Program.

Requirements

A high school diploma and relevant program experience.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications: three to five years of experience in the Alzheimer's and Related Dementia (ADRD) field with extensive knowledge in ADRD; Direct experience working with persons with ADRD and their families; Experience in program development; both volunteer and professional experience will be considered.

Additional Information

The South Carolina Department on Aging (SCDOA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer for all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, sex- including the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, nation of origin, age, religion, or disability or genetic information.

The SC Department on Aging offers an exceptional benefits package for full-time (FTE) employees:

Health, Vision, Dental, Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance for employees, spouse, and children.
* 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
* 15 days sick leave per year
* 13 paid holidays per year
* Paid Parental Leave
* State Retirement and SC Deferred Compensation Program.

The SC Department on Aging is making our veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.

The work office will be located in Charleston County. The position will serve the following counties: Charleston, Berkley, and Dorchester Counties.