The average person spends 90,000 hours over their lifetime—one-third of their life—at work. So shouldn’t that time be enjoyable and meaningful? Senior care careers offer meaning, opportunities for growth, and challenges that expand your capacity for empathy and critical thinking. So could a career in senior living be right for you? Here’s what you need to know about making a change.

In 2000, Kelley Skarp took a career detour that would change the shape of the rest of her life. She had built a career in the insurance industry, but when her husband’s job relocated the couple, she found herself looking for something new. She took a job in senior living, making a mid-career decision that has left an indelible imprint on countless lives.

The Arbor Company is proud to announce that Elizabeth Nix-Lloyd of Arbor Terrace Ortega has been named a 2019 OnShift Scheduler of the Year. Senior care scheduling and labor management is a challenging undertaking that requires attention to detail, knowledge about the needs of seniors, and a willingness to work closely with others. OnShift Schedulers of the Year show exceptional talent for managing all that makes senior care work. We’re honored to have Elizabeth at Arbor, and this award reflects the culture that makes Arbor so great.

The Arbor Company is thrilled to announce that our own Chris Harper has been awarded Argentum’s prestigious 40 Under 40 recognition. Chris is a zealous innovator in the field of senior living, and we’re so lucky to have him. As Arbor’s digital marketing and brand leader for more than five years, Chris has spearheaded innovative strategies that reflect our unique, forward-looking approach to senior living. Dispelling stereotypes about seniors, senior living, and aging is not easy. Chris has managed to do it in just a few years, presenting Arbor as the vibrant community it is and showing seniors that retirement can be whatever they make it.

Seniors are as diverse and unique as every other age group — perhaps even more so because they’ve spent a lifetime learning, cultivating new interests, and accumulating wisdom. The transition to senior living should offer new and better opportunities to cultivate an active and engaged lifestyle. Research consistently shows that a wide range of activities can improve health. Socially connected seniors may live longer and healthier. Physically active seniors experience reductions in the risk of virtually every disease, including dementia.

A job in senior living offers the chance to touch a senior’s life, help a family navigate the challenges of caregiving, and honor a senior’s life’s work. Senior living also comes with an enormous dose of job security. An aging population means that by 2025, more than a million new senior living positions will open up. There’s something for people of all backgrounds and skill levels in this important line of work. Whether you’re using medical training to offer exceptional care, harnessing customer service skills to ensure seniors find the right senior community, or channeling a lifetime of culinary training into healthy cuisine for elders, there’s an opportunity for you to put your gifts and interests to work.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, growth in senior living jobs outpaced growth in other careers by 3.7 percent between 2000-2010. Over the next decade, senior living will see an explosion in career opportunities as the population continues to age. By 2025, the industry will need at least a million new employees. Whether you’re just starting out or ready to consider a career transition, a career in senior living offers job security, numerous opportunities, and a chance to make a difference.

People considering careers in senior living are committed, thoughtful people from all walks of life and with a wide range of educational backgrounds. Many are eager to learn what a typical day looks like. The truth is, there’s no such thing as a typical day. In fact, that’s what makes assisted living careers so rewarding. There’s always a new question to answer, a new person to help, a new skill to learn.

In this special episode of Senior Living LIVE! we're talking about working in senior living. Join us as Edwin talks about his career from being a nurse to an executive director. Watch below or read the transcript of our conversation.

According to the United States Census, seniors will outnumber children for the first time ever by 2035. There will be 78 million seniors, and 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older. This means that careers in senior care will only grow. Many career paths in senior care are already experiencing a critical worker shortage. Senior living jobs offer job security and a chance to improve the lives of seniors and the people who love them.