5 Character Traits All the Best Assisted Living Staff Should Have

Assisted living facilities are a type of senior care facility that provides temporary and long-term housing for older people as well as senior services to help seniors age in place. In order to prepare for the future, there is a great need for assisted living staff who have some important character traits. These characteristics are necessary to handle an environment where the residents are not always able to do things by themselves. Below is a list of five character traits important for staff members at the top assisted living facilities.

1. Empathy and Compassion

This is the 'chemistry' of the workplace. Empathy comes from understanding another person's emotions and experiences. Compassion is showing concern and empathy towards people. It is showing that you care, as well as bringing them comfort and joy.

To have empathy and compassion, staff members must have a sense of responsibility towards their residents. This means taking time to learn more about the people they are working with and develop relationships with them that allow them to know their goals, needs, likes, and dislikes.

2. Utilization of Good Listening Skills

Listening is often neglected skill for older people. It goes without saying that it is important to listen to older adults, and especially those with dementia, with respect and care. Good listening will help the staff establish rapport, understand the resident's needs and interests easily, as well as meet needs they may have in their daily life while working at an assisted living facility.

To be able to utilize good listening skills, staff members must treat individuals with dignity and respect. It is important that they recognize the barriers or limitations of the people they serve and do not judge them in any way. They should keep in touch with their own needs and take time to rest when they are required to do so.

3. Calmly Facing Stressful Situations

Assisted living staff members frequently work with people who are prone to getting confused, anxious, or overactive due to dementia, as well as behavior issues like agitation or wandering. These can be stressful for all the staff, but even more for those who have no prior experience in working with seniors. It is important to learn the skills and techniques that are necessary to stay calm and patient.

4. High Value for Residents

The goal of all the staff should be to provide high-quality services and care for the residents. The focus should be on the individual needs and satisfaction of each resident. Older people are getting more and more independent, which is why it is important that staff members not only focus on how they can help but also let them find their own independence.

5. Good Judgment

Top assisted living facilities are like homes that have residents from different backgrounds, with different interests, needs, and habits. It is critical that staff members have a good sense of what the different personality types of their residents are and how to deal with them.

They must be able to recognize problems in the environment, as well as take the initiative instead of just doing what the resident does not want them to do or recommend. They must act when something is not working properly or when there might be an injury or accident occurring. They must have good judgment, especially when dealing with potentially dangerous situations. Effective working relationships and communication skills are also important in this type of work.

Conclusion

Members of staff of top assisted living facilities should have the five key aspects of the character covered. Doing so will increase their care and protect the lives of their residents. They should remember to keep in mind that caring for people with dementia is in itself a difficult thing to do.