For people getting ready to join the workforce and begin a career, or those looking for a more fulfilling career path to follow, senior living communities offer many more types of jobs than might be imagined. From management to health care, operations, and sales, senior living communities have a wide variety of positions for those with many diverse skills, types of education, and qualifications. Here’s a look at the possibilities!
How senior living has changed over the years
The senior living communities of today are much different from the past. Today they are modern, designed and built to be not only accessible, but bright, cheerful and spacious as well. They offer seniors with a range of care, clean, modern and well-appointed apartments, delicious and nutritious meals in beautiful restaurant-style dining rooms, and ample indoor communal spaces for hobbies, games, and exercise, as well as libraries, swimming pools, computer rooms, activities, and lifelong-learning opportunities.
Equally important is that senior living communities embrace healthy lifestyles and now provide outdoor courtyards, terraces and patios, landscaped grounds with walking paths, as well as areas for playing games, having picnics and just enjoying nature. Other amenities include onsite spas, hair salons and barbershops, valet parking, and transportation. More like luxury hotels than “nursing homes,” senior living communities are great places to live and to work. For a great example, take a minute to look at one of our communities.
Management positions
Keeping a senior living community running smoothly takes hands-on management by experienced professionals. These highly qualified leaders work in different positions on the team toward the goal of caring for each other, for the residents and for the community. Senior living careers in management may include:
- Executive director /assistant director
- Director of nursing
- Environmental services director
- Community relations director
- Health services director/ assistant director
- Activities director
- Licensed assisted living administrator
Hands-on health care positions
Senior living communities offer a range of health care options for residents in assisted living and memory support so there is always a need for trained, loving and dedicated health care professionals to provide that care. Here’s a look at a variety of senior living careers in health care:
- Registered nurse (RN)
- Licensed practical nurse
- Staff development nurse
- Certified nursing assistant
- Medication partner, ACMA
- Care partner, PRN
- Care partner
Mid-level professionals
Serving under the leadership of management, mid-level professionals are essential to the operation and upkeep of senior living communities in every department. They make sure other staff are where they should be, when they should be, that residents are getting the care they need, and that all areas of the community are well-tended and managed. These senior living careers include:
- Resident services coordinator
- Business office manager
- Sales specialist
- Health services supervisor
- Executive chef
- Dining room manager
- Dining room supervisor
- Health and wellness program coordinator
- Recreation and activity coordinator
- Activities and programs specialist
- Community relations coordinator
- Community relations consultant
Other essential staff positions
In addition to the senior living careers listed above, there are many positions that often require little to no experience, but may offer the opportunity for job training and a start in a great senior living career. These senior living careers are diverse and available in many different departments within a senior living community. They include:
- Receptionist
- Maintenance technician
- Activities assistant
- Shuttle driver
- Housekeeper
- Lead server
- Dining room server
- Cook
- Dishwasher
When looking at senior living careers available at different senior living communities, don’t forget to look for job perks. Among these are staff development and training opportunities, medical and dental benefits, health and wellness programs, 401k programs, tuition reimbursement, paid training, bonus programs, safety incentives, occupancy bonuses, referral bonuses, flexible scheduling, paid vacation/sick time, reduced meal costs, and excellent working conditions.
Also, consider how other employees feel about their careers and employment there. At Senior Star, we work hard to care for our staff as well as our residents. In response, we earned the coveted Great Place to Work Certification in 2021®, and were ranked among the Fortune Best Workplaces for Aging Services™ for three years in a row.
If Senior Star seems like a great place to grow your career in senior living, take a minute to check out our Careers page for positions that fit your goals. While there, don’t forget to watch the video that showcases our staff describing how much they love working on our Team of Difference Makers!
