Do you want to be involved with helping others? Do you like working with elderly people or those who have disabilities, and do you enjoy management responsibilities? The field of assisted living administration may be a great career choice for your future. Assisted living administrators manage and supervise the employees and operations of assisted care facilities and nursing homes. Those going into assisted living administration must have excellent human resources skills, facilities management abilities, financial planning skills, and communication skills. They must also have a basic understanding of health care and the needs of an aging or disabled clientele.
Assisted living administrators are generally required to have a bachelor's degree to get hired. Some states also require a certification or license. This is different for each state and some state don't require it; however, more and more states are going to the certification requirement. As assisted living administrators, you not only deal with the day to day operations of an assisted care living facility but also the daily needs of those who make the facility their home.
Strong Employment Outlook
As America's baby boomer population ages, this field is going to need some excellent managers to help manage a growing number of assisted living facilities. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that assisted living administration career field will experience at least 16 percent job growth over the next decade. Those with at least a bachelor's degree (4 years of study), financial skills, and certifications will be best prepared to take advantage of strong job prospects in this field.
Strong Salary Potential
The field of health services management and assisted living administration has some strong wage earning potential According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, in 2008 the average wages for health services managers were between $62,000 and $104,000. The highest ten percent made over $137,000, and the lowest ten percent made about $48,000. Those working in the nursing care facilities had average salaries of around $71,000.
Excellent College Degrees Available in Assisted Living Administration
Colleges are currently offering some excellent degrees in assisted living administration. These degrees range from an associate's degree (2 years), a bachelor's degree (4 years), to a master's degree (2 years of study beyond a bachelor's degree). As already mentioned, employers in this field are suggesting graduates obtain at least a bachelor's degree to be competitive in getting jobs in this field.
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