Opportunities to work in senior living compete with many other nursing careers, and the need in senior living is only growing. In fact, according to the U.S. census bureau, between now and 2030, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every single day. By the time we arrive in that same year, seniors will make up 20% of the population.
That’s a lot of people who will need a lot of care.
If you’re a nurse with any degree of experience, now is a great time to enter into a nursing career in senior living. But what does a job in senior care really look like?
What Is Training Like in a Senior Living Community?
You’ve taken lots of specialized classes to arrive where you are, but no matter where you decide to work, your experience in your new job will be highly impacted by the quality of your onboarding.
Training and onboarding should not only prepare you for your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, it should also acquaint you with the “why” behind the work you do, the people you will work with, and the culture you’re entering.
There’s more to every organization than just what your role is; it’s important to also understand how your role fits in with the bigger picture, and that bigger picture in senior living is the health and quality of life of the people who have chosen our community.
But training doesn’t just end with onboarding. A good senior living community will also provide you with plenty of professional development, employee recognition, regular performance reviews, and leadership training opportunities. The best senior living communities recognize leaders within their organization, identify individuals with potential to grow, and promote people into roles that best utilize their skills and strengths.
As a 2022 Best Workplace Award recipient, Danbury Senior Living prides itself on team cultivation, leadership development, internal promotion, and culture building in each and every one of our communities.
What Kinds of Care Do Nurses Provide in Senior Living Communities?
There’s never a dull moment in senior care! At a senior living community that offers a setting for residents to age-in-place, the range of healthcare needs can vary significantly, from those who live independently to more intensive nursing units.
But the vast majority of nursing care in senior living communities is focused on developing and maintaining the highest quality of life for residents. This means developing care plans, managing and administering medications, and maintaining oversight of each individuals’ health as a whole.
Age-in-place also means the opportunity to spend years developing deep and meaningful relationships with patients and their families that, in any other setting, you might only see once in a while for a brief appointment or hospital visit.
What Is Different about Nursing in Senior Living?
Nurses in other nursing fields can sometimes feel undervalued by physicians or administrators, isolated in their roles, and disrespected by patients and families.
This is not the case at Danbury.
Danbury strives to create and nurture a team atmosphere that recognizes every single member’s invaluable contribution to the lives of our residents. We especially rely on nurses to tend to the physical and mental needs of our residents. We recognize the value and importance of the compassionate care nurses provide and how it impacts the quality of our residents’ lives.
It takes a collaborative team of administrators, managers, nurses, chefs, care companions, life enrichment directors, and more to create the space for residents to thrive. Together, the Danbury team and residents become more like family than colleagues, loving and caring for each other day in and day out.
What Does a Regular Day of Nursing Look Like in Senior Living Communities?
Senior living communities give nurses a lot of flexibility and predictable work hours to accommodate your personal life. Your daily responsibilities will vary depending on the type of job you’re hired to work and the shift you’re working in.
RNs may spend their time monitoring patients’ health, drafting healthcare plans, and administering medications, while LPNs or nursing assistants may spend more of their time helping residents with their daily living, like bathing, toileting, eating, and so on. It all depends on the level of care residents require in your area and the role you’ve been trained to perform.
No matter what role a nurse fills, there are ample opportunities to connect with residents at Danbury.
If you have a heart for nursing but are worn out by the pace and disrespect you might feel in other fields, explore current job openings at Danbury. We offer full benefits, an excellent team atmosphere, quality technology and equipment, and resort-style living that makes Danbury a beautiful place to work. Come experience the Danbury difference!
