Engaging, developing and supporting 2 million career opportunities in senior living, improving policymaker perceptions of the industry and making senior living more attractive to prospective residents and workers are three major goals of a strategic plan unveiled by Argentum this week.
The vision, according to leadership, is to improve the senior living sector as a whole.
“The pandemic changed the senior living industry, challenging our communities — both residents and staff — like never before, but at the same time instilled a sense of duty and accomplishment in how we protected lives and built resiliency,” President and CEO James Balda said in a statement.
Argentum and its partners arrived at the strategic plan after a process that assessed where the industry has been and where it is going and determined that the path to improvement will be built on a foundation of people, trust and choice, he said.
Focus on workforce
The senior living industry needs to attract more than 1.3 million workers over the next 10 years, and the broader direct care workforce will need 9 million workers over the next decade, according to Argentum.
Expanding the workforce pipeline and retaining qualified workers to meet the needs of a fast growing older adult population means reaching 250,000 potential workers in the next three years, Balda said.
Under its plan, Argentum seeks to expand and promote career pathways and pipelines through partnerships, including career development programs from grade school to graduate school. Tapping grant funding to create those partnerships will mean creating apprenticeships and incumbent worker training along with providing a clear path from internships to senior management.
Balda said that millions of dollars are funneled into federal and state workforce development programs, but senior living has not been a priority focus of those programs.
Supportive programs for workers — training, flexibility, childcare and transportation support — also are on the agenda. The idea, according to the association, is to support the whole person, which Argentum believes should improve retention rates.
Using data to tell a story
Using data, transparency and best practices, Argentum plans to demonstrate that senior living is the most effective and efficient senior care delivery system.
Senior living has a story to tell, and it includes the industry’s broader effects on the healthcare system through the care and socialization the sector provides, according to the association.
Quality data can advance best practices and inform industry accreditation, as well as establish industry “brand protection “opportunities and programs, according to Argentum. But reaching that goal, Balda said, will require industry collaboration to strengthen state regulatory frameworks.
Value also comes from elevating voices from within the industry, Argentum said. The association’s plans include educating policymakers on what senior living can bring to the table and providing members with research, tools and messaging to help attract both workers and residents.
Improving access to senior living
In its efforts to increase access to senior living, Argentum said it is focusing on new solutions and offerings at communities, including creating partnerships with healthcare organizations, developing policy solutions to support the expansion and affordability of senior living, and using technology to improve the customer experience and workforce recruitment and retention.
The associations’ vision for the next decade is to position senior living as the best option available to older adults, their families and workers.
“Access should not be limited,” Balda said. “Everyone should be able to find and afford care.”
