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Start Your Career In Long-Term Care

By February 20, 2023No Comments
career long-term heathcare

People often wonder how they can start a career in long-term healthcare but they don’t know where to start. Individuals that are interested in working in the healthcare field are those who want to make a difference in the world, maybe they have family members or friends that work in the field, and they have a genuine interest in serving others, specifically the elderly. These are all great reasons to look at the long-term care field and see if this is the right career for you! 

What Is Long-Term Care? 

Long-term care includes a variety of services that help individuals and families meet their healthcare needs, whether that be long-term or short-term. Oftentimes, the services that are provided by long-term care providers include medical and non-medical activities of daily living such as dressing and grooming, medication management, meal preparation, assistance with eating, social activities, nursing care, physical therapy, and social services. There are several types of services that are offered in the long-term care field. These include adult day care, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, rehab, home health, hospice, and home care.  

What Kinds of Positions are Available in the Long-Term Care Field? 

There is an abundance of career opportunities in the long-term care field. An individual can start by asking themselves if they would like to specialize in an administrative or clinical role. The following are some positions that are available for an individual that would like to work in an assisted living home, skilled nursing facility, home health, or hospice:

  • Caregiver/CNA
  • Nurse, LPN or RN
  • Quality of Life Coordinator/Activity Director
  •  Administrator/Executive Director
  • Assistant Administrator 
  • Marketing Director/Community Outreach Coordinator
  • Admissions Coordinator
  • Social Worker 
  • Medical Assistant/Administrative Coordinator
  • Housekeeping
  • Maintenance
  • Dietician
  • Physical/Occupational Therapist
  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Chaplain
  • Accounting
  • Director of Operations
  • Human Resources

The salary ranges for these positions can vary from $30K to $100K+, depending on the position, experience, educational and certification requirements, hours worked, and type of long-term care organization. 

How Do I Get Started? 

The first step is to figure out what path you would like to take. If you’re just starting out and would like to gain some clinical experience under your belt, and really enjoy caring for others, you can try out caregiving. Many organizations have the ability to train individuals that have no previous experience, but desire to become a caregiver. Further, if you would like to gain your certified nursing assistant certification, select organizations will assist you in this process and even help with the financial aspect.

Consider taking a job personality quiz and talking with a career counselor that can help lead you in the right direction. 

Try Volunteering or Job Shadowing

Second, many facilities and organizations allow individuals to volunteer or job shadow. Volunteering and job shadowing allow the person to get a feel for the different positions, what the work environment is like, and what the job duties entail. 

Join the Long-Term Care Field Workforce

The long-term care field has many opportunities for individuals to serve others, create personal fulfillment, and build a life-long career. If you have thought about working in healthcare, consider the long-term healthcare field, and talk to one of your local long-term care providers. 

References

WebMD. (2012). Long-term care: Types of facilities. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/choosing-long-term-care

Let Us Help You Today!

We welcome the opportunity to speak with you about careers at The Cottages and the care that our residents receive at our Idaho locations. We are experts in assisted living, memory care, respite, adult day care, and have been serving seniors for over 20 years. Our small home-like senior living homes and specially-trained team members offer an atmosphere that promotes the well-being of your loved one.  

If you have any questions, would like to tour one of the Idaho assisted living or memory care homes, or speak with one of our licensed administrators, please fill out the form below. Please mention which location(s) you’re interested in.