5 Reasons to Consider a Career at a Senior Living Community

5 Reasons to Consider a Career at a Senior Living Community

Whether you’re a student looking for your first job, or an experienced worker looking for a change in scenery, opportunities at senior living communities have a lot to offer. To an outsider, it might not seem like the “most exciting” industry. When most people think of senior living communities, they envision nursing homes, but senior living is so much more than that (I’ll type it again for you stubborn skeptics: Senior living is so much more than nursing homes!). Senior living communities, especially continuing care retirement communities like Covenant Living communities, offer a continuum of care from independent living and assisted living to more clinical services like post-acute and long-term care. 

Throw away your preconceived notions of what you “think” a retirement community is like – instead, imagine a college campus for older adults, an active and engaging community of peers, and countless opportunities to learn something new or pursue a lifelong passion. This community of support, growth, and engagement extends beyond the residents – it also impacts the team members who make it possible.

There are many reasons to choose a career in this field, but here are a handful I’ve mapped out with a little help from a few of my team members at Covenant Living. Feel free to share this article or comment below with your feedback or questions! Also, if you are interested in learning more about the employee experience at Covenant Living, click here to visit our career site: https://careers.covliving.org/

1)   Entry-level positions and growth opportunities

When most people think of jobs at a senior living community, they probably think of nurses or caregivers. While there are opportunities for healthcare professionals, there are also many opportunities for young or inexperienced workers. From positions on the dining and waitstaff team to housekeeping roles, a senior living community has many entry-level positions, and there’s no telling what growth opportunities may arise.

Covenant Living at Mount Miguel’s Natalie Parker started her career at the community as a member of the waitstaff team in the dining room eight years ago. Since then, she transitioned to a shift lead/hostess role and then to an Activities Assistant in the health care center. She was then promoted to the health care center’s Activities Coordinator, and now she is the Activities Director for Residential Living. When you take an entry-level position at a senior living community, you never know where that path may lead you. For Natalie, it meant a career engaging with and inspiring residents. She shared: “Mount Miguel is like an extended family. From residents to employees, you can truly feel the love sprinkled everywhere like confetti! Joy and peace of mind pulse through our campus each and every day and it feels awesome to be a part of something huge like that.”

2)   Opportunities in a variety of fields

The diversity of opportunities in a senior living community, especially in a continuing care retirement community, is impressive. Not only are there options for all experience levels as previously mentioned, but many communities are also regularly hiring in dining, security, housekeeping, hospitality, sales, activities, and of course health care. Gwen Cannon, HR Director at Covenant Living of Cromwell in Connecticut, shared that her community has current openings for CNAs and positions in housekeeping, waitstaff, security, and employee health screening. Don’t have prior experience in the senior living field? Not a problem. Gwen Cannon shared, “We’re looking for candidates who have strong interpersonal communication skills, are courteous and responsive, have experiences in taking direction from others, problem-solving, and have a passion for service to others. Those are a few of the skills necessary for success.” For those looking to build their skills, a position at a senior living community may be the answer. “Many positions offer great opportunities to build critical job skills, including problem-solving, customer service skills, and professional communication skills,” Cannon said.

3)   Making connections

Senior living communities are more than communities for residents – they are also communities for the team of employees and caregivers. As an employee at a senior living community, you can make countless fulfilling and memorable connections with the residents you serve. From the stories and histories they have to share to their creative works, to their wise advice and inspirational backgrounds, today’s seniors have a lot to offer! Many employees share that they feel the community is like a second family to them.

4)   Stable and growing field

Given the current pandemic and its impacts on the hospitality and dining industries, many experienced workers out there are displaced from their previous place of employment or looking for a more stable setting with better job security. Senior living communities offer just that! Not only is the field steadily growing over the foreseeable future due to the aging population of baby boomers, but senior living also offers a stable workflow since jobs are designed to meet the consistent needs of the community, not the fluctuating needs of the general public. This differs greatly in comparison to the restaurant industry or typical jobs in hospitality.

“A career in senior living is an opportunity to take your skills and grow within an industry that is stable and evolving,” said Eileen Boyle, Covenant Living’s National Director of Talent Acquisition and Development. Eileen shared that the senior living industry could be a great plan b for those impacted by COVID-related closures and layoffs. “Talent comes from all industries,” she shared. “There are several transferable skills that align with our open roles. We look at industries like hospitality, for example — working in residential living at our communities is like working in a five-star resort, and we want top talent that can bring experience or training to us from outside our industry.”

5)   Making a difference

For those looking to make a difference, a career in senior living would check a few boxes. As Eileen Boyle shared, “Many candidates want to be able to contribute to a bigger goal, make a direct impact, and provide value in a tangible way. Within senior living, all roads to lead to this type of contribution. Working with residents and patients gives a person a sense of meaning while professionally developing in a career.”

Gwen Cannon also added, “Working with older adults offers you the opportunity to enrich the lives of others by bringing safety, courtesy, and responsive care to daily life. For many, caring for others gives a sense of meaning and purpose to life! You have the opportunity to make the life of someone else better. You also have the experience of developing important skills that will enhance your professional growth and expand your vocational capacity!”

It's worth a look...

No matter the reasons behind exploring your career options in senior living, there’s no doubt this industry has a lot to offer. There are many opportunities out there to join a welcoming community in a stable industry, create meaningful connections, and make a difference in seniors’ lives.

To learn more about the employee experience and current opportunities at a Covenant Living location near you, visit our career site: https://careers.covliving.org/ and join our Talent Network to receive future updates.

Thank you for sharing these benefits of working in a senior living community. I have always looked at it as a challenging job, but I haven't considered how it also provides a number of benefits. I have also found more information here: https://seasonsretirement.com/company/careers/. Could you also share some tips on starting a retirement home career?

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