The staff at a retirement community really matters. Just ask Kenn Piotrowski, a resident of Friendship Village, a life plan community in suburban Schaumburg.
“I love the staff here,” says Piotrowski, who’s very active at the community and knows many of the staff members. “I have been here three years and no one on the staff has been dismissive or flippant.” He adds that he has never seen a “sour apple.” “They’re so warm and friendly,” he says.
Piotrowski also works with the staff. He’s a member of two of the community’s 10 resident committees, each of which includes a staff liaison. He’s a volunteer Tai Chi teacher in the fitness center where he has formed strong bonds with the wellness staff. In fact, he was practicing Tai Chi in the wellness center when Julie Hubbard, an exercise specialist at the community, first noticed his expertise. She enlisted him to teach her Tai Chi, and then got him to start a Tai Chi class for residents.
Hubbard calls Piotrowski “incredible” and a “superman.” Her upbeat attitude reflects that of many staffers who often become buddies with residents. “The experience of getting to know the residents is a privilege,” says Hubbard. “It’s the relationships you build with the residents. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Welcomed and safe
A good staff will make residents feel welcomed and safe. Most importantly, a good staff will make residents feel at home.
“My passion is helping people feel good about themselves,” says Lori Griffin, director of life enrichment at the Clare, a life plan retirement community in downtown Chicago. “When people feel at home, they’re happy.”
Griffin plans activities at the Clare, an important role at retirement communities. On Valentine’s Day, she arranged to have Stan’s Donuts’ pink van park at the building so the staff and residents could get donuts and coffee. “Residents are looking for a community to help them stay active and involved,” says Griffin.
Big retirement communities typically have a large staff. The Clare, for example, has 250 employees. The high-rise has 350 residents. Staffers include everyone from doormen and a concierge to housekeepers and chefs, nurses, and aides.
Staffing at retirement and assisted living communities will vary based on the type of services and care offered. Life plan retirement communities typically have levels of care, including independent living, assisted living for those who need more help, and skilled nursing care for residents who need 24-hour supervision.
Extra help
Staffing increases as residents require more care. For example, Denver-based Spectrum Retirement operates five communities in the Chicago area: Lombard Place in Lombard; Westbrook Senior Living in Streamwood; Three Oaks in Cary; Cedar Lake in Lake Zurich; and Green Oaks Senior Living in Libertyville.
Some of Spectrum’s buildings offer independent living apartments, but they all offer assisted living and memory care. A nurse is on staff for assisted living residents around the clock. Aides are available to help residents with the activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing.
Residents in memory care require more supervision than assisted living residents. Memory care units have high staffing ratios — the number of staffers to residents. “The staffing should meet the needs of the resident,” says Lesley Durkan, vice president of operations at Spectrum.
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What to ask
When looking at retirement communities, it’s important to ask about staffing, Durkan says. A key question: What is the staff turnover rate at the community, or how many staffers leave annually? The top managers at well run communities tend to stay in place.
Ask about staff training too. The staff should have the necessary professional and academic designations to carry out their duties. Most communities also have internal training programs. New hires receive general training, and also instruction specific to their jobs.
Another question is: What are the organization’s core values? Friendship Senior Options, owner of Friendship Village, bases its values on: community, service, integrity, faith, stewardship and growth.