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How to Evaluate Staff When Searching for a Senior Living Community

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Spring Arbor Senior Living communities are able to serve and care for our residents because we have dynamic and dedicated teams. Those teams are at the heart of everything we do.

Evaluating a senior living community’s staff is an important part of finding the right assisted living and memory care community for yourself or loved ones.

Key questions include:

How effectively does the community’s staff care for residents?

What is the community’s atmosphere and environment?

Does a community have a strong team that’s empowered to support residents?

McKnight’s Senior Living asked Tonya Headen-Lee, Executive Director of Spring Arbor of Apex, to share her thoughts on how to empower senior living teams to deliver better care for residents.  

Her takeaways offer important insights for seniors and their loved ones as they consider assisted living and memory care communities.

Culture and Values

Building a strong team that delivers better care for residents, including both recruiting and retaining employees, really starts with a community’s culture and values. It’s important to create a supportive and engaging environment where team members feel invested in success and are recognized for their work. In particular, executive directors should demonstrate the work ethic they want to see and have an open-door policy so team members feel comfortable coming to them when they’re excelling or struggling. Tonya constantly tells her team, “If you’re not growing, I’m not doing my job.” That’s a powerful statement and creates accountability for everyone.

Staff Tenure and Stability

Ask about the tenure of the staff at a senior living community you’re considering. This question can offer valuable insights into the overall environment and stability of the community. Generally, long-serving team members suggest a positive work environment and a consistent level of care for residents. An assisted living and memory care community with experienced and long-tenured staff is more likely to provide reliable and high-quality care, ensuring continuity and a deep understanding of residents' needs over time. High turnover rates, however, can be a red flag indicating potential issues with management and/or conditions at the community.

Promotions from Within

Similar to staff longevity, inquire if the community promotes from within. Communities that are committed to training and offering pathways for growth typically have stronger teams. This strategy of supporting professional growth can lead to a more motivated and dedicated team, as employees see a clear path for career advancement. Promoting from within also ensures that those in leadership positions are already familiar with the community’s culture, policies, and residents, contributing to continuity of care. Often, internal promotions mean that community leaders have a head start and are already familiar with residents and their needs, ensuring consistent and knowledgeable care.

Asking about the community’s culture, staff tenure, and leadership promotions will provide immense insight into that senior living community’s team and the type of care they provide.

Additional Resources

You can read Tonya’s complete column on McKnight’s Senior Living’s website: https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/home/columns/guest-columns/empower-your-team-for-better-results/.  

As you consider senior living options, visit Spring Arbor’s website to learn more about our services and search for communities: https://www.springarborliving.com.

Check out our FAQs for answers to the most common questions: https://www.springarborliving.com/faq.

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