As a caregiver, people depend and rely on you. They place their trust and quality of life in your hands.
Providing care for others requires not only practical and technical skills but compassion, patience and empathy.
If you’re a caregiver searching for work where you can make a real difference in someone’s life, a senior living community could be the perfect answer. You’ll have the opportunity to deliver meaningful care, companionship and solid team work to support the residents, their families and the community.
Beginning your senior living job search
As a dedicated caregiver, it’s important to find the right community that will value you and the high level of service you provide.
But when searching for work in senior living, how do you determine which one might be the best fit?
Understanding their philosophy of care and discovering the following qualities can help guide you to find the right community.
Senior living community qualities to look for as a caregiver
Consider these features before you say yes.
- They provide a genuine home for their residents
A senior living community is where their residents call home. It’s so important that the amenities, programs, residences, and care team all contribute – not to creating a home-like environment but one that is actually home.
- The community promotes a family atmosphere for both residents and staff
You’ll want to look for communities that genuinely care about their staff as much as they do their residents. Creating a family atmosphere allows everyone to feel free to make suggestions, voice concerns, support each other – and share life and laughter together.
- Caregivers are integral members of the team
Great communities recognize the importance of their caregivers and know the significant value they bring to the residents. They also understand the difficulty and impact of their work. As such, they take steps to make certain team members know they’re appreciated.
- The organization’s vision and mission match your own
You’ll want to ask about the mission and vision that the community has for its residents, staff and future. Along with their philosophy of care, their answers should provide you with insight on how they view and value older adults, their families and those who provide care for both.
- The residents and staff appear happy and content
Just like at home, not everyone is happy all the time. There will always be challenges of daily life to resolve. But when interviewing at a community, take a look around. Do most of the residents appear content? Does the staff seem satisfied and happy in their work?
- Staff turnover is within the national average
Caregiving is a difficult job and can naturally have a higher level of turnover than other types of employment. But if the rate at a community you’re considering is substantially more than the average, you’ll want to understand why.
- Caregivers are empowered to solve problems
Communities that allow their caregivers to resolve issues so that they can serve the residents better are not only putting the needs of their residents first but are also respectful of the skills, training, experience and wisdom of their caregivers.
- Expectations of responsibilities are clear
It’s impossible to meet an employer’s expectations if you’re not clear on what they are. The community should have well-defined job descriptions, including responsibilities, the number of residents you’ll be caring for and what resources and assistance will be available.
- Developing personal and professional skills are encouraged
Look for communities that support personal growth and the chance to improve your skills in problem solving, organization, and communication. Ask about continuing education and training opportunities available which will also help to better serve the residents and families.
- Your intuition about the community is strong
After discussing opportunities, salary and benefits, it may still come down to your intuition. While hard to define, listen to your instincts. Is this a community where you would be proud to work, provide care to those you serve and support your fellow co-workers?
Joining the team at Sinceri Senior Living
Joining the team at Sinceri Senior Living” headline changed to read: “Sinceri Senior Living specializes in independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing, fostering deep bonds between those who live and work in our communities – just like families.
We extend our commitment in creating this welcoming environment to our employees who form strong relationships with the residents and their coworkers. In fact, many of our team members think of the community they work in as their second home because of such strong connections.
The caregiver’s role is to first make our residents feel safe and secure. We strive to ensure everyone we hire is generous, compassionate and as committed as we are to provide excellent service at every opportunity.
We understand the stress that caregivers can experience and the challenge in trying to stay one step ahead of what a resident or family member might need or desire. We fully support their efforts as it truly takes a team to provide quality senior care.
If you’re interested in becoming a care partner with Sinceri Senior Living as we strive together to exceed expectations in senior living, we hope you’ll be in touch.
We also invite you to download our complimentary guide, Simple Self-Care for Caregivers and CNAs: 6 Ways to Take Care of Yourself so You can Care for Others, which includes helpful tips and steps you might try.
