Ask people how they got their start working in aging services and many are likely to say they fell into the field accidentally. A panel of students and emerging leaders offered their insights and advice on how senior living and care providers can attract the next generation of workers this week during a panel discussion hosted by the Vision Centre.
Vision Centre President and CEO Doug Olson, PhD, MBA, said that one of the key ingredients of expanding the landscape of senior living and aging services programs across the country is a “robust, energetic and very qualified” group of emerging leaders. And the emerging leaders participating on Wednesday’s panel said that, like many who make a career in the industry, they started down one path before an experience in the sector made them rethink and, in some cases, completely change their career trajectory.
Kelly Black said that when the pandemic shut down her research role at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research, she volunteered to work on the floor of the nursing home above her office in a Hebrew SeniorLife community. The experience of working with older adults and being inspired by leadership led her to complete a master’s degree in health administration, which led to her current position as director of strategic initiatives for Pinnacle Living.
Similarly, Shelby Koven, a graphic design intern with the Vision Centre, said she was intrigued by a symposium held by the organization, where she was inspired by panelists and drawn into the field.
Early exposure is key
The first step for providers and educational institutions to attract potential leaders, Black said, is to take a chance on people through internships — preferably paid ones.
“We all have a responsibility to ensure this field continues for many years to come,” she said, encouraging organizations to provide opportunities for early exposure to various aspects of the field.
Elijah Tapp, community coordinator at The Admiral at the Lake continuing care retirement / life plan community in Chicago, said he was intrigued by the aging services field, but it wasn’t until he worked in a building and interacted with staff members and residents there that he was sure he was on the right path.
“In senior living, you get to know the residents, and you know them for years, and you get to know their families and be part of their life — that’s a huge honor,” he said. “Any opportunities where you can have younger people actually interacting with residents, working on projects and doing things to really get involved to see what it’s like to work in the field, develop leadership skills and get involved in something — it’s how I figured out this is what I wanted to stick with.”
Koven added that it’s important that the opportunities offered by providers aren’t all targeting administration or other leadership positions, however. Although she said she is passionate about senior living and healthcare, she said that she and many of her peers are more interested in mid-level positions and are not necessarily interested in being an administrator.
“There is so much career growth in senior living, so many areas we need people in — not just all administration,” Koven said. “I know peers who are losing interest because they don’t want to be an administrator, but the only option to get involved is to be one. Promoting other options to still be involved in this field is really important.”
Along with offering experiences, the panelists said that it is just as important for providers to offer paid internships.
Black said she was not willing to take an unpaid internship for a year or longer due to housing and other costs of living. Unpaid internships, she said, can be a barrier to people entering the field.
“I would challenge you all to find a way to pay for people to explore this field, enter this field,” Black said. “How many people may skip over this field because they have a family or are trying to make life work, and they can find opportunities that are paid elsewhere?”
Tapp cautioned students that it is unrealistic for them to go to school for a license and expect an offer to be an administrator right out of the gate. Experience in the field is important, and many nuances can be gained from that experience, he added. He suggested that students look for coordinator roles that allow for flexibility and growth.
Tapp added that providers also need to be flexible and accommodating and that they should consider appealing to the values of people entering the field.
“People are coming into the field because they are looking for purpose, regardless of the level they are coming into,” he said. “It’s vital that leaders understand what is the value that matters to that person, and how can they give that person opportunities to feel that value and feel their work has meaning?”
Olson said that the Vision Centre is training people for a broad spectrum of senior living.
“We’re trying to get people positioned for a long, productive, purpose-filled career,” he said, adding that organizations need to make sure they’re not only attracting good talent, but also retaining that talent. “It’s a significant issue for this country and something we have to dial up,” he added.
Olson teased that the Vision Centre will launch a student ambassadors program next year with the goal of ensuring that students across the country are exposed to the various opportunities available in the aging services field.
