Shift workers have lower thinking and memory scores, study shows.

Assisted living communities ranked fourth out of five settings when caregivers were asked their preferred work setting in a recent survey, the results of which were released Thursday. Only 18% chose that option.

Such communities outranked nursing homes (7%) but came in behind hospitals (27%), private families (26%) and home healthcare agencies (22%) in the “​Caregiver Trend Report” released by myCNAjobs. The report shares data collected in a December survey of 1,555 caregivers and a pay analysis of more than 1 million caregivers nationwide.

Other healthcare organizations aren’t the only competitors for senior living workers, of course.

For instance, 10% of caregivers surveyed said they had interviewed with Amazon, which operates 214 facilities around the United States and is opening more, according to the report. The company’s average pay is 30% higher than traditional retailers that offer pay that competes with senior living, the authors said.

And pay isn’t the only aspect of a job that attracts and keeps workers; working conditions and benefits hold sway, too, as the study indicates. Eighty percent of participating caregivers said they would prefer to work for one company if they could get the hours they want — and that it is easier to get preferred hours working in a retail setting or fast food restaurant. And 68% of caregivers said they would choose having access to a 401(k) program versus paid vacation time from their employers.

Senior living operators will want to address any perceived shortcomings quickly, the report suggests: 65% of caregivers said they always are looking for a better job, with 97% of caregivers being open to other job opportunities at any given time.

myCNAjobs, a Healthcare Research LLC Co., offers a suite of tools designed to help operators recruit caregivers, resident aides, CNAs and dietary workers. The report provides access to state-level and Zip code-level wage data as well as additional information. To download the full report, click here.