What is a Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) and Personal Support Worker (PSW)?
A Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) and Personal Support Worker (PSW) are important team members that provide care to seniors to support their continued independence, happiness, and wellbeing.
A Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) and Personal Support Worker (PSW) allow residents to feel at ease, knowing they are cared for by a team of compassionate, honest, and skilled professionals every day.
Interested in learning more about this role and other Healthcare and Clinical careers? Read about the Difference between a CCA, PSW, and PA.
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Credentials and Certifications of a CCA and PSW
A CCA and PSW supports seniors through using their knowledge and trainings from the Continuing Care Assistant or Personal Support Worker programs to provide care. They also use their skills learned from their Food Handlers Certification to assist with meal preparation and intake.
A Continuing Care Assistant and Personal Support Worker position uses the full range of training and knowledge, or full scope of practice to support residents in our communities. They do this when cleaning residents’ rooms, delivering clean clothing and supporting meal intake.
Resident-Directed Approach to Care
A Continuing Care Assistant and Personal Support Worker lead their meaningful work with the resident-directed approach to care in mind at Shannex. They recognize and understand the importance of choice and independence for our residents and provide the space for them to choose how care is delivered. From choosing when to start their day, or what is most comfortable to wear, they oversee care as if they live in the resident’s home.
Learn more about Healthcare and Clinical career opportunities with us.
Roles and Responsibilities
Personal Care and Assistance
A CCA and PSW supports seniors through providing personal care and assistance with activities of daily living. Their care helps with important needs like dressing, bathing, eating, walking, and moving into or out of bed. A CCA and PSW also support the delivery of leisure activities for residents such as movie nights or nail salon afternoons.
Compassion and Trust
A CCA is seen as a caring and friendly face by residents, families, and team members. Their role requires compassion and trust as they help seniors with their personal needs. Our great people often build special bonds with residents and help foster a safety culture for all while working in a Healthcare and Clinical career at Shannex.
A family member usually describes a CCA as an important part of the care team, working together to provide the best quality of care for their loved ones. A CCA and PSW are supported by a group of individuals dedicated to creating meaningful work and service excellence as part of a team of Great People.
Decision Making
CCAs and PSWs are the eyes and ears in a nursing home. They tell Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs) and the rest of the care team if there is something wrong or notice a difference in a resident. They are also a resident’s friend – serving as compassionate individuals that are trusted to support their personal care.
Interested in hearing more about a CCA and PSW’s role? Read about A Day in the Life of a CCA and PSW at Shannex.
Personal Care and Daily Activities in Retirement Living
In our retirement living communities, seniors are supported with personal care and daily activities by a Daily Living Assistant (DLA). Like a CCA and PSW, a DLA helps residents with putting on clothes, getting a bath, brushing teeth, eating meals and snacks, and transferring from bed to chair. They create environments where seniors feel safe and comfortable living in their home at Parkland Retirement Living.
Fostering a Safety Culture for Team Members
Creating a culture that promotes safety is something our CCAs and PSWs help do. They make our communities feel safe for both residents, team members and others visiting their loved ones. They are individuals who follow precautions, use risk management, and follow infection control practices as per Shannex policies.
Interested in working with us? Sign up for career alerts today!
Guiding Principles
Each Shannex community is guided by four guiding principles: compassionate, honest, professional, and safe.
Compassionate
Our Great People are compassionate in their work every day through being empathetic and patient. They are team members that are supportive and respect the privacy of others.
Honest
Team members always lead by being honest when building relationships with our residents. They act with trust and responsibility while also demonstrating personal integrity.
Professional
Being professional is seen when our teams are proactive and respectful. They continue seeking opportunities to develop their skills and for others.
Safe
Our communities act safe when identifying hazards and ways to prevent them. They are observant and operate with safe workplace practices and procedures in mind.
Want to learn more about what guides our Great People? Explore Shannex’s Strategic Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are three main responsibilities of a CCA and PSW at Shannex:
- Providing support to residents with personal care and activities of daily living.
- Completing required documents and communication like resident progress notes and daily resident care records.
- Creating an environment that is safe for all team members.
Every day, CCAs and PSWs support residents with their personal care and daily activities. Their role supports personal care needs like skin care, oral care, eye care and range of motion. They also help with daily activities like getting dressed in the morning and evening, transferring from bed to chair, and eating during the day. A CCA and PSW continues helping residents with cleaning duties like filling and replenishing supplies in rooms.
A CCA and PSW also assist with leisure activities for residents. They help support the delivery of personalized events for seniors to enjoy like painting nails, doing karaoke, and playing cards.
A CCA and PSW must complete documents and communication in their role with Shannex. Document management includes daily resident care records, resident progress notes and servery documentation to keep the most up-to-date care for residents.
These documents are important when following up with families and creating timely changes to care when required. It also helps keep the care team informed on the needs of residents and how they can best support them. Their role also includes regular communication with LPNs.
