Behind the Scenes: Understanding the Vital Job Roles in a Senior Living Community
It takes a diverse group of team members, all dedicated to serving and working with seniors, to make a senior living community run smoothly and successfully. Understanding the different positions can help when you are researching senior living communities for you or a loved one. That way you know who will be most suitable to answer your various questions. We thought it might be helpful to define the job roles typically found in a senior living community and how each role advances the community’s mission.
Management
Senior living communities need leaders who can inspire team members, empower residents and create a relationship built on trust with family members. These leaders have an education background working in senior living or health care, as well as extensive experience in other roles throughout the field. Their role is to ensure that the overall senior care experience is met and exceeded.
In our independent living communities, Hawthorn residents enjoy leadership in the form of manager and assistant manager teams or an individual general manager and assistant general manager. Management teams work together to guide the daily operations of the community and exceed resident expectations. You may also see management team members dancing with residents at a happy hour event, pouring coffee during breakfast or speaking at a community support group. Our management teams are well versed in all things senior living and love being part of community life.
Culinary
In most senior living communities, enjoying a meal with friends and neighbors is a staple of the daily routine. Residents gather to eat chef-prepared meals, share stories and get to know their neighbors. It requires the effort and passion of a full culinary department to put three meals per day on the table and create lively dining experiences for residents with varying tastes and nutritional needs.
At Hawthorn communities, the culinary team is led by the executive chef and includes sous chefs, dining room servers, dishwashers and other essential team members who contribute to a positive dining experience three times daily. Residents and their family members get to know servers, chefs and other dining team members quite well, and the dining team always loves hearing about residents’ favorite personal recipes.
Activity Coordinators
The senior community lifestyle is all about access to amenities and services that support wellness, health goals and happiness. It’s also about expanding your social circle, trying new things and pursuing interests. The activity coordinators at senior living communities create a calendar full of opportunities, events, classes and excursions that give residents the chance to create their perfect day.
Activity coordinators plan, prepare for and execute events for residents. They are the ones who book a mariachi band for Cinco de Mayo, work with the dining team to create a perfect menu for a summer barbecue and connect two residents who love to play pickleball. These team members are always seeking ideas from residents and finding new ways to surprise them with a personalized experience.
Transportation Team
Transportation team members serve to enrich residents’ lives. These drivers are not only safe on the road as they get residents from one place to another, but they also are typically quite fun, making any trip extra special.
At all Hawthorn communities, we want to make sure our residents have convenient access to the services they need to thrive. One way we do this is by offering safe, reliable resident transportation.
Our transportation teams will take you to your scheduled appointments, shopping or other fun outings, like a local museum or dining venue. They’ll even provide a snack of coffee and cookies for the ride. Wherever you need or want to go, our resident transportation can get you to and from your destination safely and comfortably!
A Team Approach to Senior Living
At Hawthorn Senior Living, we believe that our team’s ambition to connect with residents and experience daily life together is what makes our communities stand out from the rest. Learn more about what sets us apart from other senior living communities in your area, and contact a community near you to schedule a personalized tour to meet the team for yourself.