Considering a Career in Long Term Care

It’s All About People

Long term health care is a rapidly growing field, and compassionate employees at all levels are needed to deliver quality care and to help ensure a positive quality of life. More than one million nursing facility patients in the U.S. depend on employees of the nation’s 17,000 nursing facilities to meet their needs for round-the-clock nursing care, personal contact and companionship. Almost another million people, who are generally healthier and more independent, live in 32,000 assisted living residences.

It is important to note that nursing facilities may use many different types of names, including "nursing home," "health care center," "rehabilitation center," "health facility," "nursing center" and others. Likewise, assisted living residences are often called "residential care centers."

Today’s long term care settings typically provide full-service care for the elderly and disabled. Dedicated staff care for:

• Persons needing short-term care and rehabilitation while they recover from a medical situation;Seniors living semi-independently in an assisted living community but n
• eeding help with some personal care activities;
• Acutely ill patients needing nursing facility care around the clock.
• Persons with mental retardation or developmental disabilties.

The long term care team is made up of a group of caring, compassionate individuals who provide supervision and professional caregiving services. In nursing facilities, the objective is to restore or maintain each patient to his or her highest possible level of functioning. Facilities also work to ensure quality and compassionate care for patients entering the end-of-life stage. In assisted living, the goals are to promote independence, autonomy and choice. Whether the care setting is a nursing facility, assisted living residence or a home for persons with mental retardation or developmental disabilities, dedicated employees are vital to the quality of care each person receives. Caregivers do much more than just provide quality care and assistance to our loved ones and respected elders. They also give them love and support. While this type of work can be hectic, its rewards far outweigh its demands – and you have the satisfaction of knowing you make a difference in peoples’ lives.

You will have a secure future as part of the long term care profession. The fastest growing segment of our population is made up of those over the age of 85. By the year 2030, 33 million people will be seniors, and one in five will be in need of some type of long term care. The number of nursing facilities and assisted living residences will double by 2030 or before.

In all long term health care settings, there is a variety of work required to provide quality of care and quality of life; this will accommodate a wide range of training, experience and interest.

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