Why work with seniors? With an aging population there’s expected to be high demand at senior living communities. But even with expected job growth, there are several other reasons to work with seniors, including the fulfillment and enjoyment of working with the elderly and their family members. Plus, it can be a rewarding career path full of opportunities for personal and professional growth. If you’re wondering why you should consider working with seniors, this blog post will offer six benefits and four traits you’ll need to have a successful career.
“While working at Friendship Village, I have been able to develop my career and turn my passion into a lifestyle. Working with Friendship Village has been life changing!”
— Brandon Bax
Why working with seniors is a smart move.
A career working with seniors can be more than just financially rewarding. There are a wide variety of valuable opportunities within a senior living community from health care to support services and education to administration. Here are seven reasons why you should consider working with seniors:
- High demand and job security: According to the Census Bureau, the number of Americans over age 65 will rise from 16.5% of the population in 2019 to 22% by 2030. These growth trends mean there will be a lot of demand for professionals with knowledge and expertise in aging.
- Career growth: Joining a growing organization is a great way to advance your career. Plus some communities — like Friendship Village — offer tuition reimbursem*nt to help you along the way.
- Personal growth: Working with seniors can help drive you to be more compassionate than you thought possible, increase your efficiency and inspire greater patience. It can also help create a more profound sense of gratitude for your own life and loved ones.
- More than just care: There are a lot of different career paths available at a senior living community to help improve residents’ quality of life. For example, you could become an activities director — where you’ll design and lead programs to increase their physical health and overall happiness.
- Emotional fulfillment: When it’s your job to help people, you have clear evidence every day that you’re making a difference. Plus, like most people of any age, seniors appreciate and look forward to opportunities for laughter and conversation.
- Great stories: In many cases, seniors have a treasure-trove of stories and a wealth of knowledge to share. They may have traveled extensively, held numerous jobs, raised families, or fought in wars, and nearly everybody has met interesting people.
- New perspectives: There’s no question that after you work with seniors for an extended period, you can expect to look at life differently. Talking with seniors about their lives might even change or reinforce your own priorities.
“Having worked here for five years, I see why we have employees that have worked here for 25-30 years! Friendship Village offers fantastic benefits, a friendly work environment and allows you to make a difference in the lives of our deserving seniors.”
— Nicole Summers
Be part of an engaging team.
Working with the elderly is unlike any other career you can pursue. It will give you the opportunity to be a part of a focused, committed team and allow you to use these specific talents and personality traits:
- Empathy: Being able to put yourself in the shoes of those who are older than you and who have a different life experience is important to building strong relationships with the people you work with.
- Respect: Everyone likes to feel heard and noticed. When working with seniors, it’s important to listen and ask questions.
- Optimism: Having a positive outlook is important when working with and helping seniors. Your optimism can also help improve their mental and physical health.
Ready to get started?
After completing two new community expansions, Friendship Village has a lot of new opportunities available in a range of fields. If you’re looking for a career with great benefits, check out our Careers page to learn more. You’ll quickly see why working with seniors is so rewarding.
