Community Name:

SEM Haven

The Cook works cooperatively and respectfully with residents, co-workers, families, visitors and volunteers to create a positive and pleasant environment in the home. He or she is responsible for preparing meals in accordance with Food Safety Sanitation standards, facility policies and procedures, quality improvement guidelines and local, state and federal regulations. The cook actively promotes a positive meal experience with resident choice, comfort and pleasant dining room environment always a priority. The cook is a participant in resident-centered care and team based management and is involved in daily life activities in his or her assigned household(s).

The above paragraph is a technical description of your job that outlines some of the functions that make your position necessary. The focus of SEM Haven is to be a resident-centered organization based on resident choice. SEM Haven is a family, which includes residents and staff, as well as resident families and staff families. The final goal is to provide support for each of its members. Your role as a staff member is to provide the residents of SEM Haven with the support, friendship, and most importantly, kindness, so they may live as independently as they wish to in their homes. The most important function of your position is that you treat everyone you come into contact with as a person deserving respect. No person is any more or less important than any other and all should be treated in this manner. As a member of a family team you have the additional responsibility to perform tasks as necessary to maintain life on the household. These tasks will be within your knowledge and training i.e. assist with food preparation/serving; picking up clutter, removing trash, cleaning spills; transporting residents; attending household meetings/learning circles and fulfilling simple requests for residents.

Job Functions

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position.  However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Essential Physical Demands of the Job

Success on your job requires the following skills:

• Ability to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of dietary programs
• Patience, listening skills, verbal and non-verbal communication skills;
• Humor – interpersonal skills;
• Respect for all people - residents, co-workers, family members, doctors, volunteers, and anyone who visits our home;
• Respect for possessions – keeping living and work areas clean, orderly and presentable at all times as if company is on the way; and
• Flexibility – willingness to modify job duties for the overall good of the home and our residents.

There are stresses associated with working in a long-term care environment.  Examples of these stresses include, but are not limited to, shift rotation, weekend and holiday duty, unusual or impaired behavior by residents, family reactions to having a loved one in the facility, death and dying, oversight of State surveyors, Ombudsmen and Federal officials, presence of consultants and Attorneys, and variable involvement of medical staff.

MOBILITY - Able to move freely about

LIFTING - Regularly up to 25 pounds

CLIMBING/BALANCING - Occasionally

STOOPING/BENDING - Regularly

PUSHING - Occasionally (up to 25 lbs.)

STANDING/SITTING - Regularly standing, sitting, walking

REACHING - Regularly

SPEAKING - Must be able to speak, read & write the English language in an understandable manner.

VISION & HEARING - Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure that the requirements of position can be fully met.

According to ADA guidelines reasonable accommodations will be made for staff members who are unable to perform the essential functions of the job.

Minimum Qualification Standards

Education/Experience:  Chef training preferred.  Experience in cooking in a food service setting, preferably in a health care facility; certification in food safety.

Freedom from illegal use of drugs and freedom from use and effects of use of drugs and alcohol in the workplace is essential.

We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.