What to Look for in Senior Living Jobs
For those looking for a fast paced and fulfilling career, working in the senior living industry can be a great option. From community-level positions such as Resident Assistants, and Nurses to Directors of Operations and Sales Managers - there’s something for everyone. If you have a passion for helping people and working with seniors and their families, you’ll likely find a special way to apply it within the senior living industry - however that may be.
Before starting your pathway into senior living, find a community that’s set up for employee success. Specifically, look for a community that values you both personally and professionally - as an individual and employee. It’s crucial to find a supportive community that aligns with your goals to help pave your career path.
At Remember Me Senior Care, located in Cleveland, Tennessee, our approach to care stems from our mission to provide a culture of care we would want for our own loved ones. Both residents and team members are treated with kindness and respect from sun up to sun down. Finding a community that values team members is important when working in the senior living industry.
The Pros of Senior Living Jobs
Working in senior living is not only rewarding, it has vast opportunities for growth, job security/stability and companionship (both for team members and residents). Here are a few key takeaways and things to consider when exploring senior living careers:
Building Companionship with Residents
By working and serving seniors in the comfort of their home, they can be more vulnerable and trusting with those taking care of them. It’s common for residents to want to get to know you, socialize, and form relationships with you because you are their point person providing them with direct care, attention and service. You become a daily and intricate part of their lives, and sometimes having a deeper connection can give residents a better sense of self and purpose. Residents often enjoy talking about their families, children, grandchildren, and sharing memories and stories. The care you give residents goes much further than the physical care they receive in their senior living communities, and can actually have tremendous mental health benefits. Though the role of a caregiver can be cumbersome, you’re making a difference in the lives of residents - whether they show appreciation or not. Caregiver roles are the ultimate positions of learning firsthand about compassion, patience and empathy.
Career & Growth Opportunities
A career in senior living can provide extensive growth opportunities. No matter the position, there are always opportunities for growth and learning. Senior living team members have the opportunity to take full advantage of learning about the various positions at a community by watching, listening and helping fellow team members. This potential will undoubtedly motivate and inspire the senior living workforce to learn about other areas of the industry that’ll allow growth - both professionally and personally.
Be sure to do your research on the community you may be interested in to see if they offer opportunities for career and personal growth. You might be surprised how many senior living companies are set up for employee success and retention. Luckily, Remember Me Senior Care is an assisted living and memory care neighborhood community that is highly invested in providing our team members with the opportunities and training needed to grow and be successful.
Teamwork & Work Culture
Being part of a team is a powerful sense of purpose, and finding a community that values teamwork is key to feeling fulfilled and happy at work. When you’re part of a dedicated and compassionate team, you’ll find more job satisfaction and have a general sense of wanting your team and the community to succeed. Finding value in the mission of the community, and working alongside like-minded team members is ideal. No team is perfect, but if all communities share a goal and vision of enriching resident lives, you will always feel support from your colleagues. If your goals and values align with your community and your team members, this is when the magic happens.
Also, teamwork doesn’t just refer to the team members but also the residents. Yes, you might be a caregiver but you and the resident must always be on each other’s team - rooting for one another and making sure you’re developing companionship, trust and understanding. Caregiver to resident scenarios are not always easy, but staying committed to them and their care - well, you’ve already won.
Watch owners and co-founders Andy and Tracy Sneed describe the positive culture and environment at Remember Me Senior Care.
Job Stability & Security
We can’t stress this enough - senior living jobs are here to stay! An estimated 10,000 baby boomers retire every day, and have longer life expectancy than ever before. Because of this, senior living communities are greatly in demand, now more than ever before. The senior living industry is booming with opportunities for compassionate people wanting to serve a deserving and aging population of seniors needing assistance with activities of daily living and some with cognitive decline who need specialized assistance.
Employee Benefits & Incentives
When searching for potential senior living jobs, you’ll also want to be sure to research the community’s benefits, perks and incentives that you’re hoping to receive as a team member. This goes hand-in-hand with finding a community that’s set up for employee success and values you as an individual.
A community that takes good care of their team members typically has a great benefits package to offer including affordable healthcare coverage as well as paid time off, sick days and so much more! It’s always a good idea to do your research on this topic as well as asking all pertinent questions during an interview process.
At Remember Me, we offer a wide range of benefits for our employees and ensure that they are properly taken care of and appreciated.
Join Our Team
At Remember Me, it's our mission to provide a culture of care your loved one deserves.
Are you ready to feel fulfilled and rewarded in your career, and go home each day knowing you made a difference in a senior’s life? We welcome passionate and trustworthy individuals to join our growing team!
Learn more about exciting careers in senior living at Remember Me Senior Care.