Committed to Care: Recognizing the Best Team Members in Independent Senior Living Communities
Bricks and mortar may be the building blocks of a senior living community, but it’s the team members who provide residents with a personalized, independent lifestyle that are the real foundation of the community’s success. They are responsible for the safety, happiness and health of the residents, and they add the vibrancy and connection essential to a high-quality retirement.
Of course, residents are the cornerstone of the senior living community culture, but behind the scenes, the community’s the team members do a lot to support them. Working at a senior living community means many busy days, finding new ways to provide exceptional service and getting to know the residents who call the community home.
There are ideal traits that a person working in senior living should possess. At Hawthorn Senior Living, we seek to hire team members who can connect with our residents, empathize with families and make those around them feel welcome and at ease. Our communities are not a typical place of work, but rather, our residents’ homes. The teams at our communities assist our residents within this intimate setting, so the job takes a special combination of compassion and professionalism. Let’s take a look at just a few of the characteristics of great senior living team members.
Creativity and Fostering Connections
Because connection is such an important part of the senior living lifestyle, the activity coordinators take the lead in creating ways for residents to connect with each other. As soon as residents move in, these team members are there to say hello and welcome, as well as start a conversation about their interests and hobbies. Members on this team must be creative and have a knack for coming up with out-of-the-box activities that appeal to residents. Not only do these team members create a diverse monthly calendar of events, but they also find ways to empower connections.
Residents often gravitate naturally to making new friends with their neighbors. Typically, this happens over meals in the dining room or over shared experiences like community clubs, fitness classes or happy hour. This means that our activity coordinators and the events they facilitate are a cornerstone of the senior living experience we provide.
Residents-Come-First Mindset
Always putting the needs of the residents first is key. Simple gestures like knowing the residents by name, taking the time to get to know them and their loved ones, and participating with residents through events, socializing and companionship is important. It shows that the team members are actively involved in the community itself.
Passion
One characteristic that’s intangible but also a very important quality for senior living team members is having a passion for their job and a caring personality. A person’s attitude will almost always affect their job performance. If a person working in senior care is uninterested in their job, the quality of their work may suffer as a result. This can have a profound negative impact on the residents.
Our culinary teams, for example, are tasked with busy days creating a full culinary experience for the residents with delicious, freshly made meals and engaging company. These individuals must retain a passion not only for food but also for working with seniors and adapting their plans to accommodate all residents’ needs and desires.
Our Team Members Are Here for You
We will never stop striving to make our communities a vibrant, secure place to live and a great place to work. We are dedicated to our employees’ success, as we know that the enriching lifestyle they provide to our residents is at the heart of all we do.
To tour one of our communities and meet our team members, contact a Hawthorn Senior Living community near you. We are happy to show you our community and introduce you to the caring, hardworking individuals who assist our residents.