Careers with us

Role Description:

The Health Care Aide (HCA) provides compassionate, resident‑focused care within the Foothills Country Hospice team. This role delivers personal care, comfort measures, and daily‑living support while helping monitor symptoms and maintain a calm, dignified end‑of‑life experience. Working under RN/LPN guidance, the HCA supports residents and families and collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to ensure high‑quality palliative care.

Key Requirements

As a member of the kitchen team, the Cook is responsible for preparing and providing nutritious, high-quality meals for residents, families, and employees of Foothills Country Hospice Society (FCHS). The role requires sound judgment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

The Cook is responsible for maintaining food quality, portion control, and efficient use of food supplies while following established policies, procedures, food safety requirements, and applicable public health guidelines.

The Cook works closely with the Kitchen Manager and the multidisciplinary team to support the unique dietary needs, preferences, comfort, and dignity of residents and their families.

Other duties may be assigned by the Head Chef/ Kitchen Manager as required.

Role Includes:

• Prepares and serves meals for residents, families, and employees in accordance with established menus, dietary requirements, and food safety standards.
• Communicates with residents and the clinical team, as appropriate, regarding individual food preferences, dietary needs, and restrictions.
• Prepares additional meals and refreshments for residents’ families and guests as required.
• Plans and prepares meals, baked goods, and other food items that can be stored or frozen for future use.
• Assists with catering and food preparation for meetings, events, and special occasions in consultation with the Kitchen Manager.
• Assists with food ordering, receiving, storage, and inventory management to ensure adequate supplies and minimize waste.
• Maintains a clean, organized, and sanitary kitchen environment in accordance with food safety regulations and Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) standards.
• Follows established food safety, sanitation, and infection prevention procedures and cooperates with the Kitchen Manager and applicable public health authorities.
• Demonstrates compassion, understanding, and professionalism when supporting the unique needs of residents, families, guests, staff, and volunteers.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the Head Chef/ Kitchen Manager.

Preferred Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum Grade 12 education or equivalent.
• Demonstrates respect, compassion, and sensitivity when interacting with residents, families, guests, staff, and volunteers.
• Maintains resident and family privacy, dignity, and confidentiality at all times.
• Demonstrates nutritional knowledge and proficiency in food preparation, cooking techniques, and kitchen operations.
• Ability to prepare meals that accommodate individual dietary needs, restrictions, preferences, and nutritional requirements while supporting resident comfort and quality of life.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks while adapting creatively and flexibly to changing needs.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while exercising sound judgment and initiative.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with staff and volunteers to achieve shared goals.
• Demonstrates knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and safe kitchen practices.
• All employees of Foothills Country Hospice Society are expected to participate as volunteers at one or more FCHS events.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout a shift while preparing, cooking, serving, and cleaning.
• Ability to safely lift, carry, push, and pull food supplies, kitchen equipment, and other materials, potentially weighing up to 44–55 lbs, depending on the task and available equipment.
• Frequent bending, reaching, stretching, twisting, and occasional squatting to access supplies, prepare food, and complete cleaning duties.
• Frequent use of hands and arms for chopping, slicing, stirring, food preparation, and operating kitchen equipment.
• Ability to work in a commercial kitchen environment with exposure to heat, steam, refrigeration, noise, and cleaning products.
• Regular handling of hot surfaces, sharp utensils, ovens, stoves, and other kitchen equipment while following established safety procedures.
• Ability to manage a busy kitchen environment while maintaining attention to detail, food safety, and dietary requirements.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekdays, weekends, and occasional holidays, as required by operational needs.

Hours of Work and Shifts:

• Permanent 0.4 FTE (16 Hours/ Week)
• Day shifts are from 7am – 3pm
• Evening shifts are from 2:30pm – 7pm
• Mid shifts: 9am – 5pm
• Shifts include weekdays and weekends

Preferred Experience:

• Previous experience in a kitchen environment is preferred.

Hiring Requirements:

• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check and/or Vulnerable Sector Search.

Position Summary:

As an integral member of the interdisciplinary team, the Social Worker provides comprehensive social, emotional, psychosocial, and grief support to hospice residents and their loved ones throughout their hospice journey.

The primary responsibility of this position is to support the bereavement support program. This includes providing individual support, grief counselling, and group-based support to residents, families, and loved ones, as appropriate to the individual’s qualifications, training, and professional scope of practice.

The Social Worker provides vital psychosocial support, including assisting with end-of-life planning, identifying and connecting individuals with appropriate service providers and community resources, supporting family conferences, and completing genograms or other relevant psychosocial assessments. This role requires a strong working knowledge of federal, provincial, and community-based resources to effectively navigate available supports for residents and families.

The Social Worker will meet with residents and families within the first three days of their arrival at the hospice to introduce available support services and identify their unique needs and preferences. Working closely with the hospice interdisciplinary team, the Social Worker practices within their education, training, professional designation, and established policies, procedures, and standards. Resident and family safety, dignity, privacy, and choice remain central to all aspects of the role.

Other duties may be assigned by the Social Work and Grief Support Lead.

Position Responsibilities Include:

• Organizational Alignment: Promotes the mission, vision, and values of the Foothills Country Hospice Society (FCHS) and adheres to all policies while interacting with residents, loved ones, employees, and the community.
• Bereavement Programming: Supports families and loved ones through the grief process by facilitating, and participating in the bereavement follow-up program. Works with and supports volunteers assisting in grief/bereavement programs.
• Counselling & Therapy: Facilitates FCHS’s Grief Support Program by providing one-to-one counselling and group therapy.
• Psychosocial Assessments: Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments, including genograms and histories of significant life experiences. Clarifies information the resident has or would like to know related to their illness, inquires about life goals, and creates actionable plans to meet unmet goals.
• Direct Intervention: Works directly with the resident and their social network to manage psychosocial stressors (anxiety, guilt, fear, sadness) through supportive counselling and education.
• Care Coordination: Arranges and facilitates family meetings, case conferences, and interdisciplinary team huddles to help support complex needs, interventions, emotional support, advocacy, and referrals.
• Resource Navigation: Assists residents and families in securing essential needs such as food, housing, and transportation, and provides resources regarding finances, pre- and post-death forms, end-of-life services, and legal contacts.
• Advance Care Planning: Guides and assists in formalizing advance care planning documents, including personal directives, enduring powers of attorney, wills, and end-of-life wishes.
• Mentorship & Collaboration: Provides formal mentoring, presentations, and informal assistance to the interdisciplinary team and volunteers. Collaborates with external professional disciplines (community physicians, agencies, clergy) to enhance continuity of care.
• Documentation & Quality: Maintains accurate, timely charting in the database management system for all clients served. Completes monthly reports for the Social Work and Grief Support Lead.
• Continuous Improvement: Participates in Quarterly Improvement Committee meetings and actively supports continuous quality improvement and accreditation standards.

Accountability:

Reporting Line: Social Work and Grief Support Lead
Supervisory Responsibilities: No
Hours of Work: 40 hours per week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The position includes one 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekend shift every second weekend, on either Saturday or Sunday.
Occasionally, hours or shifts may be adjusted to accommodate resident, family, or program needs.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Social Work, Social Services, Human Services, Counselling, or a related field.
• Professional Registration: Current registration in good standing as a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).
• Experience: Minimum 3 years of experience in healthcare, social services, community support, counselling, or a related setting.
• Specialization: Experience providing psychosocial, emotional, grief, or bereavement support is required. Experience in palliative care, hospice, or end-of-life care is a strong asset.
• Cultural Competence: Experience supporting diverse individuals, families, and communities within a healthcare or non-profit sector.
• Core Competencies: Demonstrated ability to build trusting relationships and provide compassionate, person- and family-centred support. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Technical Proficiency: Working knowledge of virtual communication platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet) and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Demonstrated comfort with learning and adapting to new database and management technologies.

Working Conditions:

• Ability to work in a diversity of settings, including a shared office environment.
• Ability to travel; a current, valid driver’s license is required.
• Strict compliance with all FCHS privacy and confidentiality policies, procedures, and provincial Privacy Legislation is mandatory.
• All employees of FCHS are encouraged to participate on one or more organizational committees.

This position requires the individual to be compliant with all FCHS privacy and confidentiality policies and procedures; and to be compliant with all Privacy Legislation.