The United States currently has nearly 29,000 assisted living facilities (ALF) for elderly residents, according to the American Health Care Association (AHCA).
Although the competition among ALFs is gaining momentum, the turnover of residents and staff remains high. As a result of the increasing number of contenders, you may find it challenging and costly to attract new residents for your ALF. Therefore, your top priority should be to retain your existing ones.
The quality of your staff is vital in creating the type of community residents love. This article describes how to build and retain a team that will help your organization thrive for years to come.
The Importance of Staffing in Assisted Living Facilities
ALF managers and HR staff find recruiting enough qualified staff and retaining their teams challenging. An AHCA survey from September 2021 found that more than 90% of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the United States are dealing with staff shortages. Many providers felt their situation worsened throughout the summer of the past year.
Individual state laws define adequate staffing levels for ALFs. These regulations help keep residents safe, provide proper care, and prevent problems such as injuries. However, ensuring that your facility offers the highest quality of care goes beyond simply ensuring compliance. You need to hire and retain key staff members to help you build a strong long-term team. Your staff can make the difference between your residents feeling supported or looking for alternative communities.
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Nursing and care professions have suffered from high turnover rates for years. Still, this problem has never been more apparent than during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. Experts found that some nursing homes experienced a more than 300% turnover rate. The researchers also believe the turnover contributed to the high number of deaths in American nursing homes in 2020.
Within the senior living industry sector, turnover remains high at 50% per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While turnover is lower than in the nursing home sector, 50% is still staggering. If your ALF employs a team of 100, you will be looking at hiring 50 new staff members every year.
With recruitment comes expenses. Also, replacing such a high number of staff every year threatens the quality and continuity of care you provide. Focusing on retention minimizes costs and makes it easier for residents to form a bond with staff. These relationships are crucial to residents’ well-being.
Prioritize Employee Development
How satisfied are your employees? If you are still trying to determine your answer, consider conducting an employee survey. Ask your team about what they enjoy about their jobs and what would make things better for them.
Nursing and care professions are physically and mentally tasking. Team members often spend time lifting patients, working long hours, and covering weekends and holidays. Also, these positions typically need more development opportunities. As a result, working as a carer may become a stop-gap rather than a career.
For your ALF to offer the best possible care, your staff needs to be happy, satisfied, and motivated. Offering development opportunities is one way to achieve that. Employees benefit by adding to their skillset. Your assisted living community also benefits by having more highly qualified staff motivated to deliver the best possible care.
Consider Increasing Pay and Incentives
For many, a pay increase or incentives tied to time spent with the company can be deciding factors. Consider this: if your job barely enables you to make ends meet, would you be loyal to the company or look for a better opportunity?
Traditionally, profit margins are small in the senior living industry, contributing to low wages. However, operating an ALF plagued by high turnover is expensive too. Recruitment costs are high, and ALF managers need to weigh the cost of turnover against pay increases.
If pay increases are not possible, consider alternative incentives. Re-organize shift patterns to make accommodating childcare or school schedules easier for parents among your staff. Others may enjoy additional leave after a specific time with the company.
Create a Culture of Respect and Communication
No one enjoys working where they feel disrespected and “kept out of the loop.” Creating a culture of respect within your organization starts from the top. As an owner or senior manager, if you treat your leadership team respectfully, junior managers are more likely to follow your example. The approach will systematically trickle down.
For instance, janitorial staff members are the most important in senior living environments. However, people overlook them because their work is not a medical specialty. But their work is essential to the quality of life your residents enjoy and the quality of care your facility delivers. Clean, well-maintained living and socializing spaces are crucial.
Treating every staff member with the same respect and establishing a culture of open communication within your organization will help reduce turnover. In addition, it becomes easier to fill vacancies based on word of mouth. Happy team members will likely recommend your facility to their friends looking for work.
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Watch nowConsider Upskilling Employees
There may be limited career development within the care sector. Still, there are options for employees to specialize and add to their skills.
One skill that employees can gain is learning about behavioral and mental health. This skill is among the most versatile and sought-after qualifications in ALFs. As management teams increase their understanding of the connection between behavioral, mental, and physical health, they will begin to prioritize upskilling existing care staff.
Conclusion
Providing adequate staffing within senior living facilities requires more than meeting compliance requirements. To become a leader in the field, assisted living facilities must invest in the development and retention of staff.
Building a strong, highly qualified team will have a noticeable effect on turnover. As staff turnover decreases, residents will find it easier to develop trust in their carers. Residents will also build meaningful relationships that improve resident retention and benefit the community.
One of the most efficient ways of developing your team and creating a more desirable workplace is to team up with a strong partner. The Behavioral Health program for assisted living facilities offered by TrueCare™ can help you fill temporary gaps, upskill your team, and provide the best care possible.
