By Roberto Muñiz

Today, there are more than 46 million older adults aged 65 and older living in the United States. By 2050, that number is expected to grow to almost 90 million – nearly one-third of the population in America.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects the health care field will grow by 3.3 million jobs between 2018 and 2028.

The demand is clear – the U.S. population is graying and the need for quality elder care will be greatly increasing. This makes a career in a long-term living community a wise, lasting choice.

Long-term living communities, such as Parker, will play a vital role in the lives of millions of elders. This is an expansive operation that requires expertise in many disciplines, as we support the physical, psychological, and emotional needs of our residents. To support such diverse needs, Parker relies on professionals from all walks of life who are eager to directly impact and improve the quality of life of the senior community.

Those of us in the field of elder care are very often committed to it as a life-long career because this is such rewarding work. We can make a tremendous difference in the lives of others. Through Parker’s dedicated staff and professionals, we have created a safe, nurturing, loving environment. Lasting friendships are made, and the quality of care is unparalleled.

That is why I encourage others to share the experience and explore career opportunities at Parker, or other similar senior living communities with the same commitment to serve.

Here are just some of the benefits of working in the field of aging services:

Providing a continuum of care
Often, those working in health care spend their days serving countless patients who walk in and out the door. Lasting connections are rarely made. In contrast, at Parker, our staff spends months, if not years, with our elders. The staff learns about their lives, the foods they enjoy, their families, and specific ways in which to support them within a safe, comfortable, healthy environment. For those who are looking to make a very real, lasting difference in health care, there is no better place than working in this field.

Hands-on experience
Often in health care, many workers are disappointed that they have limited access to the patient and, therefore, less clinical experience. At Parker, and other quality long-term care organizations, we encourage day-to-day interaction that helps staff grow and evolve within our system. Opportunities are boundless for those who are eager to learn and wish to advance their careers into management roles.

Teamwork
As we provide 24-hour care, we have an interdisciplinary team that embraces teamwork, and a busy atmosphere where an employee rarely sits still. Each Parker team member has his or her own important role and, working together, creates an experience for elders beyond expectations. As our staff work collaboratively and share information across departments, there are daily opportunities to improve communications skills and discover new ways as a team to further enhance the Parker experience.

Learn from the best
Not only does Parker employ staff members that are the best at what they do, the learning opportunities come from our residents as well. As a top-tier long-term living community, we attract many residents who arrive at Parker after decades of success in the business or academic communities. We find that our elders are eager to share their wisdom. They embrace our staff members, who spend hours listening and learning. The tremendous perception and insight passed from generation to generation is one of the magical benefits of Parker that is hard to describe in a recruitment brochure. You have to be here to experience it for yourself.

Whether you are still exploring an occupation, or you are already committed to making compassionate care your life’s work, there are many good reasons to work at Parker, or another similar mission-driven aging services organization. You will find that a career in long-term senior care is a wise, highly rewarding choice.

By Roberto Muñiz

The global health pandemic has impacted so much of our world and communities, and not only in the ways you would think. I see the ripple effect it has had on seniors in our own local community. Important services to Elders have been interrupted or stopped, community senior centers closed for over a year and those who are most vulnerable have often become more at risk from the lack of these services in their communities through this pandemic.

Something must be done to help. At Parker we have been taking a good look at our community and asking, ‘Where can we make a difference?’ I am pleased to share some ideas we have come up while partnering with our neighbors at the City of New Brunswick.

We are happy to assist the city in bringing back one of their critical services, its Dial-A-Ride program, a program that helps over 2500 people a year. It provides seniors with rides to important medical and mental health visits, physical therapy sessions and social service appointments, which have been suspended during the pandemic. Vehicles for this service are now equipped with appropriate infection control systems and revised procedures are in place as the program has resumed. We have developed and funded a Virtual Vitality Program, which provides tablets to members of the New Brunswick Senior Community Resource Center allowing them to connect to programs, activities and services geared toward combating social isolation.

The Virtual Vitality Program is a similar concept as the one we have implemented to meet the needs of those who participate in Parker Adult Day Center and our Health and Wellness Center in Highland Park. Since those programs have been closed due to the pandemic, our teams have found ways to serve our participants at home. Adult Day at a Distance is a platform that adult day participants can take part in a number of activities from their own homes. Parker Virtual Health and Wellness program helps community members stay active by participating in our online classes and our Parker Rehab at Home services. Earlier this year we also launched one of our newest initiatives, the Parker Navigator Program, which helps elders connect with important resources in the community.

We are so passionate about extending help beyond those who live with us or participate in our programming, ensuring those who are aging in our community are living their best life, despite the circumstances and challenges of this pandemic.

Do you see a need in your community? How can you help to fulfill it? It may not be the way help was provided in the past, but one thing this pandemic has taught us all is that we need to find creative ways to support our elders regardless of where they live. It is up to all of us to help “make aging part of life” for every senior in our community.