Older Adult Support Specialist
: Job Details :

*HIRING BONUS: $750!*

At Avalon, housing is a human right. Our mission is to build healthy, safe and inclusive supportive housing communities as a long-term solution to homelessness.

Avalon Housing is a non-profit supportive housing provider. Supportive housing is a combination of affordable housing paired with services, such as case management. We don't just help people find housing, we help people stay and thrive in their homes.

If you are passionate about creating more diverse, inclusive, and equitable communities where all people are welcome, Avalon may be a good fit for you.

The Older Adult Support (OAS) Specialist will collaborate with other Avalon staff (Team Leader, case managers, home health aides) to provide individualized, in-home assistance to Avalon's tenants/clients ages 55 and older to help them maintain stable housing. The OAS Specialist supports the unique needs and challenges that Avalon's older adult clients face, which may include mental illness, substance use disorders, and/or chronic medical conditions alongside a history of chronic homelessness. The OAS Specialist assists clients with activities of daily living in their homes. The goal of this position is to ensure clients' safety and well-being and ability to remain independently in their homes.

In addition to a competitive salary, here are some of the key benefits that Avalon staff receive:

Paid Time Off Paid time off includes three weeks of vacation time plus additional sick and personal time allowances. There is also an extra paid holiday every month!

Medical Full-time employees can choose from three different medical insurance plans with dental, vision, and prescription coverage, even for families!

Life and Disability Plans All staff working more than 16 hours per week are given life insurance and Short-term plans, with Avalon covering the premium cost.

403(b) Retirement Plan Avalon sponsors a 403(b) retirement plan through Vanguard, available to all employees.

Job Responsibilities:

• Work with Avalon tenants throughout the community, provide in-home visits multiple times per week
• Assess individual and home health and safety and work with the Avalon team to determine necessary support for each client. Work cooperatively with Avalon clinical, property management, maintenance, and other staff onsite in addition to visiting providers; refer clients to clinical and other staff as necessary
• Assist Avalon team in proactively identifying potential problems and provide input to the team to develop client program plans. Recognize and develop strategies to deal with potential crisis and/or emergency situations with clients.
• Provide lay counseling support and life skills training to clients; provide emotional support and feedback to clients (and families/friends where concerned)
• Assist clients with activities of daily living as needed, including:
• Clean and organize clients' apartments as described in their treatment plan or inspection results
• Assist with laundry chores when assigned
• Meal preparation, from setting their table and cooking through clean-up o Shop with clients for food, hygienic products, and homecare products
• Medication management
• Assist with personal hygiene as needed including skill building and teaching proper hygiene techniques, prompts, etc
• Teach tenants proper home cleaning techniques, skills and habits, where appropriate, through demonstration and guidance
• Maintain written activity/progress reports and documentation for each client
• Assist clients when attending appointments and provide transportation as needed
• Assist clients in securing sustainable resources and support for health, nutrition, and safety-related needs through referrals to community partners

Supplemental Job Duties:

• Assist tenants with conflict resolution among other tenants and neighbors
• Attend and participate in staff meetings, retreats and professional training sessions
• Facilitate group transportation as needed
• Participate in occasional evening/weekend work as necessary

Required Qualifications

• At least one year's experience working with people who are homeless, people with mental illness, chronic health issues, and/or addiction disorders, or similar populations

Desired Skills and Abilities

• Must possess a highly positive and enthusiastic attitude and strong commitment toward helping those in need
• Skilled in crisis response situations
• Strong communication skills - both verbal and written
• Strong organizational skills
• Interest and experience in working with individuals who are difficult to engage and refer to traditional programs, ability to engage with individuals in their current stage of change. Experience with or acceptance of harm reduction principles
• Avalon Housing is dedicated to eliminating racial inequities. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to effectively work with diverse populations in a non-judgmental way.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to be on their feet for long periods of time, to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds, to reach above their head, to effectively operate common cleaning tools (ex. mop, bucket, broom, dustbin), to transport tenants in vehicles, to communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, and to operate computer hardware systems.

A valid Michigan driver's license and reliable transportation is required.

Reports to: Miller Manor Team Leader

Location: This position and office is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Status: Two-year term-limited position, full-time, hourly, non-exempt

Salary: $20.39/hour

Schedule: Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Benefits including excellent health insurance options, dental & vision, 403(b), generous vacation and additional holidays, Life / AD&D / ShortTerm disability plans, Employee Assistance & Wellness programs

Avalon Housing is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks applicants from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as historically marginalized groups. This includes but is not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, people who identify as transgender or non-binary, people living with disabilities or mental health conditions, and with lived experience with homelessness or recovery from a substance use disorder.

Avalon also encourages those with criminal histories to apply. Avalon doesn't request information about criminal histories unless and until an offer of employment is extended. Avalon may exclude someone based on criminal history if it determines the criminal history is related to or directly conflicts with the responsibilities of the position.