A career in the senior living field is a rewarding one, where you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of older adults every time you go to work. However, the benefits of senior living careers don’t stop there.
Choosing a senior living career can lead to opportunities for advancement as well as the chance to make an even bigger difference in the field. We’re here to talk about what can happen as you begin your career in senior living.
Spoiler alert: The future is bright.
One of the benefits of senior living careers is the variety of positions available throughout a community or a national organization. According to research from Argentum, only about 60 percent of senior living employees work in resident care. The remaining 40 percent work in roles that are just as valuable, including operations, management, food service, administrative support, or cleaning and maintenance.
This means that senior living employees have the chance to showcase their talents in a variety of positions throughout their community. Even better, it also means team members can try out new positions throughout their careers, which helps prevent burnout and provides a boost in creativity. There is always something new to learn in senior care, as well as new opportunities that can highlight your new education or approach.
When considering a long-term career, it is wise to look for a field that offers stability. Senior living offers both stability and job security, and not just for direct care workers. Although the number of direct care workers is projected to grow significantly through 2030, there will also be a need for leaders and behind-the-scenes positions such as food service, housekeeping, or maintenance.
These positions are essential in ensuring that senior living communities can continue meeting the needs of the residents they serve—and there will certainly be residents to serve! As the baby boomer generation continues to age, the need for senior living communities is not projected to go away any time soon. In fact, nearly 8 million senior living workers will be needed to care for baby boomers in the next five years alone.
Senior living careers aren’t just about the availability of jobs. Workers need the opportunity to serve without burning out and leaving the field altogether.
Focus on beginning or continuing your senior living career with an organization that is conscious of preventing caregiver burnout. Working at an organization that recognizes the toll a career in caregiving can take can ensure you have the mental health capacity to last long-term.
At Cedarhurst Senior Living communities, for example, we encourage all of our team members to slow down and spend extra time chatting with residents. This time shared together can decrease caregiver stress and increase job satisfaction, meaning team members enjoy their jobs for longer. We also offer outstanding benefits to support our team members’ health at work and at home, creating a supportive environment so that employees can meet their short- and long-term career goals.
Senior living communities are excellent places to find internal promotions and other advancement opportunities. Thanks to perks like college reimbursement and other ongoing education opportunities, as well as mentorship programs and leadership development programs, senior living team members can gain the experience they need to take the next step in their career while getting the advanced education their desired position might require.
Even better, senior living employees don’t necessarily need to stay within their department when seeking a promotion. For example, someone that starts as a dining room server might end up choosing to pursue a career in the life enrichment department after seeing the multiple programs and events planned for residents. Or someone who started as a housekeeper might end up working in human resources after completing any required education.
Thanks to the variety of positions available in a senior living community, team members have the chance to see multiple career paths and opportunities. This often means a career that can grow and adjust as your interests and experience do, too.
For senior living employees who are looking to make an even bigger difference in the lives of seniors across their city, state, or nation, networking among peers becomes even more important. Getting involved in networking groups for a specific vocation can give team members the opportunity to share their best practices and learn from others.
Senior living employees can find new networking positions by taking on a role in a local Board of Directors, career groups that speak to workers who share a common job, and city or state senior services groups. Participating in these organizations or groups can increase your networking opportunities as well as give you the chance to advocate for seniors in your community and make positive changes to the field.
Senior living employees who want to share their own best practices can present at local and national conferences. This opportunity not only exposes you to new opportunities, but it can also give you the chance to highlight what is working best for your residents in your community.
Most importantly, a senior living career gives you the opportunity to create and maintain relationships with peers, residents, and family members that change the way you care for others. At Cedarhurst Senior Living communities, we believe in the importance of building relationships with those we serve. When we get to know residents, we can better personalize their care and tailor their experiences to suit their preferences and interests.
Beyond that, our employees end up learning so much more after spending time with the residents they serve. When you choose a career in senior living, you choose a career of learning from residents.
You’ll learn about historical events from their perspective, along with advice about parenting, marriage, jobs, and how to live a life without regrets. You’ll also learn compassion as you watch a family member learn to interact with their loved one who is living with dementia. You’ll learn about how a listening ear is often more important than a full to-do list. When you think back over your time spent serving residents in a community, you’ll be able to recall certain ones by name and remember how something they said or did changed how you look at things or validated your job choice. A friendship is perhaps a resident’s biggest gift they can give to any senior living team member.
Ready to begin a senior living career in a community that values your talents and your time? See what positions are available at a Cedarhurst Senior Living community near you. We’d love to be a part of your senior living career path.
Originally published June 2022. Revised October 2023.