Assisted living management and training trends for 2022

Every year that passes brings new advancements and trends for businesses, and the senior living industry is no exception. For those working in assisted living management, there are several prominent changes predicted to be coming to the industry. From the average generation of residents shifting to a more technologically savvy group to new COVID-19 precautions, senior living and assisted living management teams will need to stay on top of employee training to keep up with the progression of the industry.

Here are some of the top retirement community and assisted living management trends for 2022 along with helpful training tips to prepare your communities.

What changes the senior living industry can expect this year

Tech-based advances will be on the rise in 2022, thanks in large part to the virtual-healthcare needs of the past two years. According to Health Tech Magazine, senior care will likely continue with a “Hospital-at-Home” model. With aging in place becoming more common with seniors, retirement communities are learning to shift their services to become resources through telehealth appointments and will extend their assisted living management and care offerings to home settings. Additionally, the magazine also discusses the creation of “Tech Concierge Roles” to assist community residents with smart devices and navigating the tech-savvy world.

There’s no denying the burden the pandemic had on healthcare workers, and in 2022, assisted living management teams and retirement communities will be finding more ways to keep employees feeling their best and receiving the time off that they need. This will include wellness initiatives aimed at mental health, healthy eating, and professional career development. Look for benefits packages and employee training to expand this year – creativity and flexibility, along with better benefits – will be crucial aspects in staffing for the senior living industry.

Another impact the COVID-19 will have in 2022 is in senior living services. Trends show that holistic care and services are poised to trump the need for hospitality and community experiences over the next few years. Though, this isn’t to say that extracurricular activities won’t be important to the senior living experience down the road. The pandemic emphasized the need for top quality care and clinical capabilities for the most vulnerable, which has changed the public’s opinion of senior living as more of a healthcare product than anything else. Communities that focus on strengthening care programs and offering a holistic approach to medical needs will be more likely to come out on top.

And although it’s not a change coming in 2022, it’s also worth noting that as life expectancy increases and the Baby Boomer generation approaches typical retirement age, retirement communities need to begin preparing for a shift in services, design, and technology now. Between 2020 and 2035, the population of seniors aged 75 and older will see an increase of 76%. However, this may not mean a boom in retirement community demands if communities don’t adopt the wants and needs of the growing generation.

How senior living and assisted living management can prepare their teams for 2022

Over the past two years, retirement community and assisted living management teams have had to learn to pivot quickly – and this includes training their teams to expect the unexpected. This, in addition to the trends the industry is projecting for the year, will require some extra training to master. Here are some of the training trends of 2022 that are predicted to keep senior living employees on track this year.

  • Cross-training – This topic isn’t necessarily new but will be crucial for assisted living management and senior living training moving forward. Cross-training is the act of educating employees in multiple areas outside of their main focus on the job. This will help in emergency situations where certain departments need extra help in addition to keeping communities flexible when it comes to caring for residents.
  • Online training – The need for accessible and affording training programs is still in high demand. Online training will continue to be an excellent resource for continued education, updating staff and assisted living management teams with new protocols and certifications, and providing employees with the flexible learning options they need to stay on top of industry changes.
  • Career growth opportunities – Staffing shortages have been a concern over the past year, especially with many in the healthcare space feeling the heaviness of the pandemic. As part of the expansion of benefits for senior living teams, career growth opportunities and training options should be top of mind. When employees are shown their employer wants to help them grow – even if it may mean moving on to a new company – employee happiness and retention spikes.

Certifications and resources for retirement communities or assisted living management

Looking for a way to keep your employees and assisted living management team up to date with all of the latest changes in the industry? We can help! SeniorLivingU, located in Hershey, PA, serves as an education provider and support system for organizations and individuals within the senior living industry. Our website provides a full e-commerce storefront for assisted living management teams to easily purchase new trainings and senior living resources as they see fit and as often as they like. We also provide management training for executives interested in a senior living management certificate. Our FAQ page includes some helpful tips on how to navigate our materials and more information on our senior living training. To learn more about SeniorLivingU, the services we provide, and how we can provide the best resources for your organization, contact us today. We look forward to helping your team receive the quality assisted living training, senior living training, and general assisted living education your senior living or assisted living management team has been searching for.