Types of Senior Care Jobs

Few careers are as rewarding than senior care jobs. No other profession gives you as much access to the enriching stories shared daily by residents, or to the security of continuous industry growth. If you are interested in pursuing a career in a retirement community, this guide explains the numerous opportunities that can be yours when working with older adults.

Why should I want to work with older adults?

Whether you work directly with residents or welcome families, you can learn so much throughout your workday in a retirement community. People currently in the industry often boast of the benefits of their careers, such as:

• Making a difference in the lives of others: Your selfless support and care have the power to turn a resident’s potentially lonely day into one of joy and laughter. Caring for older adults is a highly rewarding practice. Your care allows residents to live engaged lives with dignity and independence.
• Learning from their experiences: Most older adults have years of knowledge and experience gathered through their lifetime. Many are willing to open their books of memories and wisdom to share with caregivers. These stories can be life-changing experiences, war stories, historical events, expanding families and life lessons. When working with seniors, you can learn through their experiences and reflect them in your own life.
• Gaining some perspective: As you gain experience working with older adults, you will naturally acquire insight into the aging process. Through this care, you’ll help other people facing common age-related issues you might not have suspected otherwise. For most people in the field, this is incredibly eye-opening and motivates them to make the most of their youth – while helping their elders.
• Working in a secure job sector: The United States population of people over the age of 65 is rapidly growing as the baby boomer generation grows older. While a 70 or 80 year-old today is commonly more athletic than 50 years ago, older adults will always need specialized services, and careers in senior care will be needed for the foreseeable future.

The people you care for will appreciate your services. Most residents look forward to moments of conversations with a regular caregiver, and some even consider it the highlight of their day.

What kinds of jobs are there in senior care?

There are plenty of job options in retirement communities. From nurses to groundskeepers, cooks to drivers, accountants to beauticians, every position is vital for the community to run smoothly. If you aren’t sure what career path you want to follow, consider these options:

Licensed/Certified Direct Care

Nurses provide medical and emotional support to residents while following safety standards set by the Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA). Depending on the level of schooling you wish to pursue, you can become a:

• Registered Nurse (RN): RNs administer elevated care to residents by assessing conditions, distributing medications and completing any required documentation. Other duties include the guidance and observation of other nurses to ensure the administration of proper care. To become an RN, you must graduate from an accredited registered nursing program, pass the RN National Council Licensure Examination (NCLX) and obtain your state license.
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN): LPNs have similar responsibilities but more specifically, LPNs follow the treatment plan established by RNs. To become an LPN, you must earn a relevant degree, complete a state-approved certification program and pass the NCLEX-PN exam.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): CNAs administer basic nursing care to patients in a respectful way that promotes their independence. If you’re interested in becoming a CNA, you must complete CNA training at a community college, trade school or medical facility.
• Therapist: These certified professionals can specialize in physical, occupational and speech therapy to improve residents’ mobility, muscle strength and language ability. These services are essential for older adults as they provide them with the knowledge and tools to promote a healthier, more independent lifestyle.

We recommend you check your state’s requirements before starting your educational journey to becoming a nurse!

Entry Level Care/Non Certified

If you are not yet certified and are looking to begin your career in caregiving, you may consider the following:

• Personal Care Attendant: Personal Care Attendants provide direct care to residents. These individuals should be versed in caring for various functional levels, ranging from relatively independent to those requiring special attention due to cognitive and mobility impairment.

Life Engagement and Dining

There are plenty of nonclinical careers in senior care that you can choose from, such as:

• Community Life: The Community Life team keeps residents engaged, entertained, and in some cases reassured. They organize crafts, music events, trips, games, and they have the training that is necessary to gently “reorient” residents with cognitive impairment (dementia).
• Wellness Specialist: The Wellness team implements a wellness program that is holistic in nature and addresses mind, body, and spirit dimensions, providing a variety of land and water-based programs emphasizing strength, endurance and flexibility to improve residents quality of life.
• Dietician: Required by federal nursing home laws, dieticians identify the dietary planning and needs of older residents and oversee the plans’ implementation.
• Cook: A cook plans and prepares meals that correlate with the dietician’s recommendations for the campus residents. Cooks follow sanitation and infection control standards and are crucial to a nursing home’s daily operations.

This is just the tip of the iceberg: we also need billing specialists, social workers, chaplains, secretaries, clinical trainers, admissions specialists… you name it. Senior care has a wide range of possibilities. You can work with older adults even if the medical field isn’t something you’re interested in!

Facility Maintenance

While maintenance employees are not as actively involved in the direct care of residents, they are just as important, and their jobs can be equally rewarding. They maintain the operational flow to keep both residents and employees safe, ensure good customer relations and promote a high-quality community image.

Some senior care maintenance careers include:

• Groundskeeper: Groundskeepers perform tasks such as mowing, weeding, pruning and edging. Most importantly, they’re in charge of keeping staff and residents safe by removing any snow or ice, maintaining walkways and renovating landscapes.
• Campus patrol: Residents have the right to feel safe in their home away from home. Campus patrol makes residents feel secure by conducting inside and outside rounds, including checking residents’ medical equipment, monitoring the arrival and departure of staff and visitors and contacting local authorities if necessary.
• Housekeeping: The housekeeping staff is responsible for preventing the spread of illnesses by keeping the campus clean. Responsibilities include cleaning residents’ rooms, entertainment areas and hallways.

No matter the career, choose a position that you feel best matches your personality and skill set.