Personal Support Worker

Home Care Position for Senior with Alzheimer's

We are seeking a compassionate and experienced caregiver to provide overnight support for an 81-year-old woman living with Alzheimer's disease. She resides in a comfortable home environment just outside Peterborough with her family, who have been her primary caregivers for the past four years. Despite the challenges of memory loss, she has maintained remarkable stability through regular gym visits with a personal trainer, participation in a memory clinic, attendance at a meeting club, and church involvement. However, recent changes in her condition have created a need for dedicated overnight care.

The client experiences nighttime disorientation, wandering, and anxiety-related behaviors including persistent itching that disrupts her sleep. She has her own apartment space within the family home equipped with monitoring systems. While she has generally maintained recognition of family members during daytime hours, nighttime confusion can cause her to misidentify people around her. The family has successfully managed her care through consistent routines, cognitive stimulation, and physical activity, but caregiver burnout has made professional overnight support essential.

Responsibilities

The primary focus of this position is providing attentive overnight supervision and support. The caregiver will monitor the client throughout the night, responding to her needs as they arise. This includes assisting with bathroom visits, managing nighttime disorientation episodes, providing comfort and redirection when she experiences confusion or anxiety, and helping with hygiene needs if accidents occur. The caregiver should be prepared to apply soothing lotions or creams as needed for skin irritation and itching, and maintain a calm, reassuring presence during periods of restlessness or agitation.

Additional responsibilities include ensuring the client's safety as she moves around her apartment space, preventing wandering beyond safe boundaries, and documenting any significant events or changes in behavior during the shift. The caregiver will work collaboratively with family members who handle all daytime care, activities, and appointments.

What We're Looking For:

We are seeking a female caregiver with experience supporting individuals with Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related behaviors. The ideal candidate will have strong skills in managing nighttime confusion, redirecting anxious or repetitive behaviors, and maintaining patience during challenging moments. Experience with seniors who have difficulty sleeping, skin sensitivity issues, or nighttime restlessness is highly valuable.

The caregiver should be comfortable working independently overnight while remaining alert and responsive to the client's needs. Excellent communication skills are essential for coordinating with family members and documenting observations. A calm, gentle demeanor and the ability to provide reassurance without escalating confusion are critical qualities for success in this role.

This position requires overnight shifts from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The family is seeking coverage for two consecutive nights per week, specifically Wednesday and Thursday nights. There may be occasional opportunities to add additional nights based on caregiver availability and family needs. The schedule will be set on a recurring weekly basis with flexibility to adjust as care needs evolve.

Pay & Hours CAD$25.00/hr

Hourly rate

CAD$400.00/week

Per week

Estimated Earnings

Based on 2 day(s)/week

Required Days

Wednesday 10:00pm-6:00am

Thursday 10:00pm-6:00am

Expected start date Immediately Location Peterborough, Ontario

Care needs

• Personal care
• Mobility support
• Companionship

Requirements

License/Certification

• Personal Support Worker (PSW)
• CPR Certification
• First Aid Certification

Required languages

• English

Considerations

• Experience with dementia/Alzheimer's

Additional Considerations

Client experiences nighttime disorientation and wandering due to Alzheimer's disease. She may wake multiple times during the night (typically around midnight and 5 AM) and can become confused about the identity of family members, sometimes mistaking her son for her husband or brother. Client has been experiencing severe itching and scratching due to anxiety related to Alzheimer's, particularly affecting her ability to sleep. She has her own apartment within the family home with camera monitoring and doorbell system for safety. Client is generally stable during daytime hours and maintains an active lifestyle including gym visits 3-4 times weekly with a personal trainer, which has been key to her continued functionality. She attends a memory clinic and participates in social activities. The family prefers a female caregiver to minimize nighttime confusion. Physical lifting may be required for personal care assistance.