What are the responsibilities and job description for the Care Navigator position at Oakwood Creative Care?
About Oakwood Creative Care
Oakwood Creative Care (OCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting older adults with cognitive and physical challenges and the people who care for them. Through education, care navigation, and joyful community engagement, OCC helps individuals and families navigate aging with dignity, creativity, and connection. While our work spans a range of aging-related needs, OCC specializes in dementia care.
Position Summary
The Care Navigator provides individualized guidance, education, and support to older adults with cognitive and physical challenges and their caregivers. This role serves as a trusted partner—helping families understand care options, access resources, and build sustainable support plans.
The Care Navigator delivers direct navigation services, facilitates caregiver education and support, and collaborates closely with Hub operations staff to ensure a warm, coordinated experience for families. While the scope includes broader aging-related needs, the role specializes in dementia care.
Key Responsibilities
Care Navigation & Family Support
- Provide individualized care navigation, education, and coaching to older adults with cognitive and physical challenges and their caregivers.
- Conduct care consultations, follow-up calls, and ongoing resource planning.
- Support families in understanding diagnoses, care options, safety planning, and community resources.
- Maintain accurate documentation and track family outcomes and service utilization.
Specialized Dementia Care
- Deliver dementia-informed care navigation, education, and caregiver coaching.
- Support families in navigating dementia progression, behavioral changes, and care transitions.
- Apply best practices in person-centered dementia care.
Programs & Support Groups
- Facilitate or co-facilitate caregiver support groups, educational sessions, and workshops.
- Support social, educational, and engagement-based programs for older adults and caregivers.
- Contribute to program content and resource development.
Collaboration & Community Engagement
- Serve as a key point of contact for families and community partners.
- Collaborate with healthcare providers, aging services, and community organizations.
- Work closely with the Hub team to ensure coordinated services and a welcoming experience.
Data, Reporting & Quality
- Track service delivery, caregiver outcomes, and engagement metrics.
- Support reporting needs for grants, programs, and internal evaluation.
- Participate in continuous quality improvement and team learning.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, gerontology, nursing, public health, or related field (Master’s preferred).
- Experience working with older adults with cognitive and/or physical challenges and their caregivers.
- Specialized knowledge or experience in dementia care.
- Strong understanding of aging services, caregiving systems, and community resources.
- Excellent communication, organization, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a mission-driven, team-based environment.
Preferred Experience
- Care navigation, case management, or caregiver support experience.
- Dementia-specific training or certification (preferred, not required).
- Group facilitation or adult education experience.
- Experience in healthcare, nonprofit, or community-based aging services.
Why Join Oakwood Creative Care?
- Join a mission-driven organization supporting aging adults and caregivers.
- Apply specialized dementia expertise within a broader aging services framework.
- Work in a collaborative, creative, and community-centered environment.
- Make a meaningful impact on the lives of older adults and their families.