How to Become an Assisted Living Administrator in 5 Steps

<p>Are you interested in working with the elderly or disabled yet prefer the <a href="https://learn.org/directory/category/Business_Management.html">business management</a> aspects of a career to one in nursing or direct patient care? </p> <p>If you're an ambitious, well-organized person with a lot of business savvy, you might find that being the administrator of a long-term care facility such as an assisted living community is the ideal role for you. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatIsAnAssistedLivingAdministrator">What Is an Assisted Living Administrator?</h2> <p>As an assisted living administrator (or executive director), you would oversee and manage the operations of an assisted living community or facility, which is one of a number of types of long-term eldercare facilities in the United States. </p> <p>Generally, assisted living facilities provide residential housing (rooms, suites, or apartments), meals (through a central dining room), and a staff of care professionals such as CNAs (certified nursing assistants) and medical technicians. </p> <p>Such facilities usually offer housekeeping and laundry services, a schedule of social activities, an onsite nurse (and often in-house medical and physical therapy practices), local transportation, and other amenities. </p> <p>While assisted living homes primarily serve seniors, they may also accept non-senior residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities. </p> <p>As an assisted living administrator, you would need strong business management skills as well as knowledge of the healthcare administration niche. </p> <p>You would also need to possess empathy and compassion for the needs of the residents and their families as they go through lifestyle transitions and face difficult, challenging decisions. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatDoesAnAssistedLivingAdministratorDo">What Does an Assisted Living Administrator Do?</h2> <p>The specifics of each job will vary slightly, depending upon the particular state laws as well as the ownership of the facility. However, in general, an assisted living administrator is responsible for both behind-the-scenes and public roles. </p> <h3 id="section---BehindTheScenesRoles">Behind-the-Scenes Roles</h3> <p>Behind the scenes, the administrator will generally be accountable for: </p> <ul><li>implementing policies and goals of the facility ownership </li><li>ensuring and monitoring the facility's compliance with state and federal regulations </li><li>planning and managing a facility's budget, including accounts payable and receivable and contracts with vendors </li><li>hiring, supervising, and dismissing staff&mdash;or retaining oversight while delegating this role to department heads </li><li>conducting meetings with department heads </li><li>marketing the facility to the surrounding communities </li><li>contracting with and overseeing subcontractors (or in-house divisions) such as food service, maintenance, housecleaning, accounting and billing, medical services, nursing and care staff, activities director, etc. </li><li>ensuring that the living environment is safe, clean, appealing, and appropriate to the needs of its residents </li></ul><h3 id="section---PublicFacingRoles">Public-Facing Roles</h3> <p>In their public-facing roles, assisted living administrators serve as liaisons between residents, families, community members, and facility staff. </p> <p>They are usually somewhat hands-on and spend some time each day engaging with residents in the facility and ensuring that staff members are maintaining an ethos of compassionate care. </p> <h2 id="section---AgenciesThatOverseeAssistedLivingHomesAndProvideLicensureForAdministrators">Agencies That Oversee Assisted Living Homes and Provide Licensure for Administrators</h2> <p>Each state has a government agency that establishes licensing and certification requirements for assisted living facilities, as well as their administrators or executive directors, in its jurisdiction. </p> <p>At the national level, the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) oversees licensure for Nursing Home Administration (NHA), Resident Care/Assisted Living (RCAL), and/or Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) managers. </p> <p>Other professional nonprofit organizations concerned with these issues are the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA), American Health Care Association (AHCA), and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). </p> <p>The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also provides much regulation since the residents of many eldercare facilities are recipients of federal aid. </p> <p>The NCAL publishes an annual 'Assisted Living State Reg?ulatory Review,' which lists state requirements for assisted living licensure or certification. </p> <p>Each state may also have an association, such as the Georgia Senior Living Association or the Ohio Assisted Living Association. </p> <p>Since most residential living facilities are privately owned, many by corporate chains, you will also find statewide and nationwide organizations linking those corporate groups. </p> <p>Keep reading to learn how you can become an assisted living administrator, step by step. </p> <h2 id="section---Step1EnrollInADegreeProgram">Step 1: Enroll in a Degree Program</h2> <p>If you want to manage an assisted living facility, you have numerous university degree programs to choose from. You'll need to complete at least a bachelor's degree, and often a master's degree, to obtain a license in most states. </p> <p>As an undergraduate, you may decide to major in <a href="https://learn.org/articles/General_Business_Bachelors_Degree_Programs.html">business</a>, <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Public_Health_Majors_Your_Career_and_Salary_Questions_Answered.html">public health</a>, or <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Healthcare_Administration_Bachelors_Degree.html">health administration</a>. Other relevant major fields might include a health or social science major such as biology, <a href="https://learn.org/directory/category/Health_Professions_and_Medical_Services/Health_and_Medical_Services_Preparatory/Pre-Nursing.html">pre-nursing</a>, <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Bachelor_of_Science_in_Psychology_Program_FAQs.html">psychology</a>, or <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Sociology_Bachelors_Degree_Program.html">sociology</a>. </p> <p>Regardless of the degree path you choose, try to take elective courses in business and health administration, communication, sociology, psychology, and medical law and ethics. </p> <h2 id="section---Step2CompleteAnAdministratorInTrainingAITProgram">Step 2: Complete an Administrator in Training (AIT) Program</h2> <p>After finishing your bachelor's degree and before you can receive an administrator's license, many states require you to complete an Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program. </p> <p>AIT programs, which are typically six months or 1,000 hours long, enable you to gain practical training and experience in assisted living or other long-term care administration. </p> <p>An AIT program is somewhat like an apprenticeship since it enables you to work as an assistant under the supervision of an experienced long-term care administrator, getting on-the-job training. </p> <p>You can find AIT programs, which are paid jobs, on many job search sites. </p> <h2 id="section---Step3ObtainALicense">Step 3: Obtain a License</h2> <p>All states require assisted living administrators to hold a <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_is_an_Assisted_Living_Administrator_License.html">license</a>, and every state requires that applicants for licensure pass the national licensing exam from the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB). </p> <p>Requirements, which vary by state, may require you to have not only a bachelor's degree but also to complete an AIT program prior to licensing. </p> <h2 id="section---Step4GainWorkExperience">Step 4: Gain Work Experience</h2> <p>Job demand for assisted living administrators is growing quickly because of an increased lifespan and higher demand for care of the aging. </p> <p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 32% increase in demand between 2020 and 2030 for all medical and health services managers. </p> <h2 id="section---Step5EnterAGraduateLevelProgramForAssistedLivingAdministrators">Step 5: Enter a Graduate-Level Program for Assisted Living Administrators</h2> <p>You may choose to pursue a master's degree in health services administration or public health to make you more competitive and help you gain higher-paying jobs to advance your career. </p> <p>A recommended master's in healthcare administration or long-term care administration should focus on the biological, social, and psychological aspects of aging as well as the management of long-term care organizations. </p> <p>You'll need to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) before being accepted into a master's program, and you can complete most master's programs in two years. </p> <h2 id="section---ContinueYourEducationAndGetCertifications">Continue Your Education and Get Certifications</h2> <p>To earn credentials for specialized niches in healthcare administration, you might want to work toward certification in some of the following areas: </p> <ul><li>Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) </li><li>Certified Medical Manager (CMM) </li><li>Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional (cHAP) </li><li>Certified Professional in Health Care Risk Management (CPHRM) </li><li>Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) </li><li>Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) </li><li>Certified Healthcare Access Manager (CHAM) </li></ul><h2 id="section---LearnMoreAboutAssistedLivingAdministration">Learn More About Assisted Living Administration</h2> <p>Our team at Best Accredited Colleges is standing ready to help you find the perfect undergraduate or graduate program that will enable you to reach your goals. </p> <p>Reach out to us today for help becoming an assisting living administrator.</p>