The Calling: Finding your Purpose in Assisted Living

From Sunrise Senior Living Chief Operating Officer, Nick Stengle.

It is a wonderful time to be in the senior living industry and especially at Sunrise Senior Living, as we recognize those of us who are fulfilling the unique mission of providing compassionate care to champion quality of life for all seniors. The recent celebration of National Assisted Living Week (NALW) gave us the opportunity to reflect on our industry’s purpose and celebrate our Sunrise team members and the impact they make in the lives of those we serve. The NAWL theme of Compassion, Care & Community embodies the values and commitment that make Sunrise and our industry an exceptional and fulfilling place to work.  

This also coincided with an important journey of my own with Sunrise as I wrapped up my first community listening tour. Over the last several weeks, I’ve visited many of our communities across the country, listening to our residents and team members and getting a taste of the full Sunrise culture.  

What I heard and experienced was humbling and awe-inspiring on so many levels. I saw firsthand the impact those in our communities have in creating a resilient quality of life for our seniors. I witnessed team members fulfilling heartfelt missions of service and impacting residents’ lives in ways small and large. Our Sunrise team members, and those in our industry, are making a difference in seniors’ lives in ways that personify our celebration of Compassion, Care, and Community over the past week. 

The Calling 

The ability to make an impact in someone’s life in a massively fulfilling way is what makes Sunrise and our industry truly representative of a “career with purpose” that so many of us are looking for today. I hear it time and again over the course of my listening tour how much this work means to both our residents and our team members, who referred to their jobs as “a calling” that has given them back just as much or more than they have put into their roles. It is easy to witness the good work, amazing support, and impact our team members’ serving hearts have on our residents. Still, I didn’t fully realize the love, fulfillment, and gratitude many team members receive from their “calling” to service our seniors and their community. I want to celebrate our team members, share their good work and recognize the outcomes of their “calling” that focuses on Compassion, Care, and Community at Sunrise and our industry.  

Compassion 

Team member compassion is a cornerstone of exemplary service in our industry and a pillar of our core values at Sunrise. However, it is striking to see the number of young people entering our industry and finding their life’s passion in providing compassion to others. It is impressive to see the 19 and 20-year-old care provider talking about the joy and accomplishment they receive daily from the individualized care they provide. We also know those team members who have made Sunrise their home for many years continue to grow and stay long past the average time many spend at a regular job in today’s world. We are also seeing more and more of those established professionals who are making a career change. But the similarity with all these groups is they are coming to Sunrise and our industry for one main reason. They are looking for more fulfilling careers and want a job that makes a difference. These individuals find a home in providing compassionate care for seniors.  

The compassion at Sunrise and our industry is nothing short of amazing. Most acts of compassion don’t come in grandiose fashion, and it is the small everyday acts of kindness, care, and service that make the most impact and difference in lives. Yes, I have seen care managers put our resident’s needs before their own, such as returning to evacuated communities in New Orleans to ensure they could quickly get back to full operations after Hurricane Ida. Just as important were those team members at the facilities who welcomed evacuees and rallied around them to ensure they were comfortable, safe, and happy during a natural disaster.  

Care 

Care can have so many definitions in our industry. At Sunrise, we are also celebrating “Care” this week for the dedication of our care managers who are building and maintaining a one-on-one personal relationship with our residents. They are our frontline heroes with our residents and one of the most important members of our team when it comes to personalized care. They are the first to interact, take action and create positive change in our residents’ lives.  

We also celebrate our supporting team members who have an equally important role in our universal care model. Everyone works together to support our residents and make them our top priority. Every day they overcome challenges and make our communities stronger and our residents’ lives more purposeful. Especially at the most challenging times during the pandemic, these team members were the only family many of our residents saw in person on a day-to-day basis. We celebrate all our team members for their care and dedication this week, but there are not enough weeks in the year to truly recognize the impact they have on our communities and residents.   

These opportunities to care also provide another brilliant outcome not easily realized: career building and growth. Many of our care providers are discovering they stay in our industry not just for the fulfilling nature of this role but also for the ability to continue and grow their careers in healthcare. We see many in our industry find an alternative entry into the healthcare world through senior living, with many care providers finding lifelong careers, becoming certified nursing assistants (CNAs), LPNs, and RN’s – all while maintaining their calling in our industry.  

Community 

The ability for us to engage and interact with our greater community allows us to form lasting bonds that benefit us all. Sometimes, the smallest efforts can have the biggest impacts. It’s no secret the pandemic impacted our industry, but our ability to build and maintain a sense of community, both within our facilities and with the greater cities and towns in which we live, has allowed us to persevere and recover quickly. We have been able to respond to guidance and rules from government and health officials and experts that have helped us overcome many of the current challenges of the pandemic and work to provide a safe and healthy environment for our residents and their families.  

The sense of community is more important than ever in the pandemic. Community helps brings us together through purposeful programs, activities, and support. An important aspect that community brings to our team members and residents, especially during the pandemic, is the ability to effectively overcome isolation and loneliness, impacting seniors’ physical and mental health. Together, we can monitor potential health impacts as the pandemic evolves to maintain a responsive environment focused on safety, health, and wellness. 

These are real, tangible outcomes of our connection and community. They are all around us and have lasting impact and benefits, and it continues to be our job in finding and developing them together. 

Find Your Calling 

My listening tour has further shown our commitment to Sunrise’s core values and the pillars of NALW. We have been able to evolve and adjust to challenges caused by the pandemic and our everyday lives to continue our mission to champion quality of life for all seniors. However, to continue on our Compassion, Care, and Community path, we need to focus on finding opportunities to connect with more serving hearts looking for their calling to find fulfilling careers.   

We need to show our industry is more than making a positive impact in seniors’ lives – which is admirable in and of itself. It is also an opportunity to find a calling for those out there looking for purpose-driven work. It is an opportunity that gives back so much more than what you put in. Whether intentional or unintentional – you will find your calling that provides gratification in all we do, especially at Sunrise. Come and find out with us.