Find a Meaningful Career in Memory Care

A young female nurse assisting a senior man in a wheelchair at a nursing home.

Why consider a career in memory care? It’s a great question to ask, but one that isn’t easily or quickly answered. There are a host of meaningful reasons to work with adults who have dementia, from feeling secure about your opportunities for growth and advancement to knowing that what you do each day matters.

Let’s take a look at what those who are just entering the working world or seeking to make a career transition should know about the continuously expanding field of memory care.

Connecting and Making a Difference

We all have an inherent need to feel that we make a difference in the world. That’s true no matter what your stage in life. By opting for a career in memory care, you’ll soon begin making meaningful connections with residents, families and fellow caregivers. The rewards are endless and include:

  • Help residents feel empowered: Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that cause memory loss can leave people feeling confused and lost. It can be very isolating, which is likely why rates of depression for older adults with dementia are high. Researchers believe as many as 40% of people with dementia experience significant depression. Through the specialized training memory care communities provide, you’ll learn how to help memory care residents feel successful and independent.
  • Learn more about the older generation: When you begin working in a memory care community, part of caring for the residents is listening to their life stories. Not only does that give you better insight about them as individuals and what their lives were like before dementia, you’ll also have an opportunity to expand your view of the world. Older adults are historians, storytellers, and guardians of our nation’s traditions and culture. You can learn a lot as you develop relationships with memory care residents.
  • Educate and support family members: Another important role memory care team members play is educating and supporting residents’ loved ones. A diagnosis of dementia impacts the entire family. With the knowledge you’ll gain from your training and hands-on experience, you’ll be able to support family members. You can teach spouses, adult children and even grandchildren more about the disease and how to respond to and manage some of the unique behavioral expressions associated with it. It’s just one more way you’ll be able to end the workday knowing you’ve made a difference.

So, what kinds of opportunities are there in a memory care community? Here’s a quick look at the employment openings you might find at American Senior Communities.

Memory Care Career Opportunities at ASC

Whether you are interested in working with residents by providing hands-on care or through arranging activities and life enrichment programs, you’ll be part of a team dedicated to helping seniors with memory loss enjoy their best life.

  • Memory Care Support Specialist: In this role, you’ll act as the director for the community’s memory care program. You’ll have ultimate responsibility for ensuring quality-of-care standards are met. That requires you to implement and oversee a person-centered approach to care, educate family members and colleagues and lead by example when it comes to everyday interactions.
  • Activities Assistant/Life Enrichment Assistant: Structure and productive activity allow adults with memory loss to enjoy more meaningful days. Those who choose to join the activities team will organize daily programs that work with residents’ abilities. You’ll also provide encouragement to residents who might be reluctant to participate in activities, as well as help recruit and train volunteers.

If you are a nurse, there are opportunities for you, too. ASC is always interested in speaking with clinicians who have a passion for working with seniors.

Hear More About the Rewards of a Career in Memory Care

Interested in hearing more? This quick video featuring Janean Kinzie, American Senior Communities’ Vice President of Social Wellness & Enrichment, might be of interest. You’ll hear Janean discuss the rewards that come from choosing a career in memory care. To join our team, visit ASCCare.com/careers.

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