Let’s be honest: Senior care usually isn’t the first possibility that comes to most new graduates’ minds when they’re looking to begin a career in healthcare. It doesn’t have a reputation as a glamorous, fast-paced profession. But senior care is rewarding — from both a compensation standpoint and from a spiritual one.

We’ve discussed it before on this blog. Young health professionals who care for elders get to interact daily with people who are incredibly appreciative.

“This is my passion,” she said. “I love working with seniors, hearing their wisdom. We’re like a family here.”

- DD Farmer, Household Coordinator, Deupree Cottages

Nurses, patient care assistants and support staffers alike benefit from their patients’ wisdom and from hearing about their life experiences. They also develop meaningful relationships with the elders and families they serve.

Today, though, we’d like you to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. Here’s why three members of Episcopal Retirement Services’ Young Professionals group love their jobs.

DD Farmer (Pictured Above)

DD Farmer, 31, loves her job as Household Coordinator at Deupree Cottages — especially because she gets to interact with residents every day.

“This is my passion,” she said. “I love working with seniors, hearing their wisdom. We’re like a family here.”

DD started with ERS as a direct care provider. She progressed from that job to medication aide, to her current role. And she wants to help fellow young professionals in our organization connect and build opportunities for one another.

She believes strongly that providers and support staffers alike should closely collaborate to generate new methods for improving senior care. And she’s put that belief into practice in her own career.

“ERS has given me a chance to grow,” DD explained. “I think our generation has ideas that are unique to us. I am glad ERS is giving us an opportunity to share those ideas.”

Megan Bradford

Megan Bradford is the Health Services Administrator for Deupree Cottages and Deupree House. Just 28, she has risen from her start as an ERS marketing intern to become a licensed retirement community administrator.

“The young professionals at ERS are an extremely driven, diverse group of people,” Bradford said. “They are eager to make an impact and get involved.”

That’s not an uncommon trait among young professionals today.

"Numerous workplace studies have reported that Millennial and Gen Y professionals enjoy working in an atmosphere that engages them beyond their primary job structure," said Molly de Jesus, ERS’s Manager of Talent Acquisition.

Indeed, at least one Harvard Business Review study seems to bear out that assertion.

“Millennials place a greater emphasis on opportunities to learn and grow and opportunities for advancement,” wrote Rigoni and Adkins in 2016. “Contrary to popular perception, Millennials place little importance on a company encouraging creativity or being a fun, informal place to work.”

New workplace entrants, they reported, “need to be convinced why and how an organization will help them learn, grow, and develop, and further their careers.”

For Megan, providing quality senior care fits those growth and development criteria. She pointed out that ERS provides many internal and external volunteer opportunities.

Examples, she said, include “helping as SAIDO supporters, walking as a team in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event, delivering Meals On Wheels, volunteering for ERS Affordable Living and fundraising events, and much more.”

Janet Westrich

Janet Westrich is the development project manager for Affordable Living by ERS. “My biggest inspiration at ERS is the people. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by talented, creative, mission-driven people.”

While it is natural to focus on those directly working with residents or patients, dedicated behind-the-scenes support workers are also vital to the ERS team. From finance and accounting to marketing and administration, each and every employee plays a critical role.

“In my role as a development project manager, I do not always have day-to-day contact with our residents,” said Janet. “So my passion for serving others is expressed by making decisions in the best interests of our residents as we work to develop new housing communities.” 

Janet Westrich visits with residents at Madison Villa

Janet's influence includes decisions such as ensuring the development budget can support things like fitness equipment, so each community can offer a wellness center; security features, so the seniors can feel safe in their homes; and non-slip flooring with extra lighting to support older adults.

Furthermore, Janet said, the culture at ERS emphasizes serving colleagues as well as our residents. “We all pitch in to help each other, not only with professional tasks, but in each other’s personal lives as well. Celebrating birthdays, asking about family members, attending colleagues’ musical performances — those are all ways we serve each other in our daily work.”

Those values apply to every employee, whether they’re providing direct resident care or are one of the wide variety of support staff that keeps the mission running smoothly.

Participating in our Young Professionals group, she noted, has affirmed for her that ERS is committed to learning, constant improvement and remaining on the cutting edge of senior care.

“We want to cultivate new ideas for how to take care of current and future generations,” explained Janet. “This gives me another opportunity to feel my voice is valued.”

“As one of the young employees, I get to improve people’s lives,” she said. “I am able to link my career to the community and to the greater mission of ERS.”

Encouraging better senior care through professional growth.

"As the need for highly-qualified professionals continues to grow in the senior care industry, ERS will remain committed to attracting and retaining talented young people," Molly de Jesus said.

“We have some amazing young professionals,” she also noted. “We value them tremendously.”

How do we show that we value them? Through career development. Young professionals at ERS are encouraged to take part in networking and enrichment events.

Those events include Bold Fusion — Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s annual gathering of young Tristate workers — to which we sent a number of our newer staff members last year. And we plan to continue providing our YPs with additional opportunities for growth.

Do you have a passion for providing person-centered, dignified care? Are you looking for a rewarding career in health care?

Maybe a job with a not-for-profit retirement care provider would fit your life goals. Click here to find out.