Vitalia Senior Residences at Westlake Executive Director Shares How He Got His Start in Senior Living

Senior living has certainly changed over the past decade. An industry that once provided very little hands-on care has blossomed into a wonderful option for older adults. It now provides varying levels of assistance with residents’ activities of daily living, while arranging many opportunities for socialization and community. I am fortunate to work for Arrow Senior Living leading Vitalia Senior Residences at Westlake team. I would like to share a little about my journey to becoming a senior living leader.

A big reason I got into senior living is that both my parents are nurses, and my mother was a Director of Nursing in senior living her entire career. My grandmother lived in the skilled nursing home my mother was a director, so I was exposed to the senior living industry at an early age and came to appreciate the residents and positively impacting their lives.

The single biggest factor that keeps me in senior living is, in our industry at the root of every decision is the wellbeing of our residents. I don’t think I could work in an industry that was not focused around impacting the lives of individuals and where every decision is made with the hopes of positively affecting their total health and wellbeing.

I love that Arrow Senior Living is an innovative company focused on the overall experience of our residents, families, staff, and communities. Arrow is such a great company to work for, one that I feel has our best interest at heart and invests in our growth and development as leaders. I love our focus on inclusion and celebration of our traditions throughout the year.

I think as we further separate ourselves from COVID, our industry will continue to see an increase in residents and families who are considering moving into senior living communities, as well as employees that are seeking to get back into the direct care role as care partners and nurses. I think we will also experience a shift towards more residents being proactive regarding a move rather than reactive, leading to a more engaged resident demographic per senior living care level.

I would tell anyone considering a career in senior living management that it is a phenomenal career path if you are seeking a career where there is a never a dull day, one that is focused on positively impacting lives every day, and one that keeps you on your toes. This job will give you the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but is one that ultimately gives you fulfilment and satisfaction at the end of the day!

Arrow Senior Living and I invite you to reach out and learn more about a career in senior living. Working in this industry can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Whether you’re interested in caregiving, management, or another aspect of senior living, there are a wide variety of roles available that allow you to make a positive impact on the lives of older adults and their families.