To become an assisted living administrator, check if your jurisdiction requires a license or certification, gain practical experience, and have administrative skills and regulatory compliance knowledge. Some jurisdictions require training, education, and background checks. Work experience is necessary, and taking business administration and management courses can help. Inform your supervisor of your career goals.
If you want to become an assisted living administrator, you will first need to find out if the jurisdiction you want to work in requires assisted living administrators to be licensed or certified. If they are, you will need to take the necessary steps to successfully obtain the necessary credentials. If your jurisdiction does not require you to obtain a license or certification to become an assisted living administrator, you will likely still find that most assisted living communities want administrators to have experience working in an assisted living center or a nursing facility. In addition to practical experience, employers may also expect you to have at least some college-level education, as well as strong administrative skills and the ability to understand and comply with regulations governing assisted living facilities.
Some jurisdictions license assisted living administrators. Qualifications for licensure vary, but may include a requirement that you complete an assisted living administrator training program, have at least some college education, and have documented work experience in an assisted living facility or nursing home. As members of assisted living communities are often considered vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, you may also be subjected to a background check, and a history of criminal convictions may disqualify you from eligibility for the license. Some jurisdictions will require you to take and pass a licensing exam. If you already hold a nursing home administrator’s license, in some areas you may not need to also obtain an assisted living administrator’s license.
Regardless of whether or not your jurisdiction requires a license to become an assisted living administrator, you will almost always be expected to have work experience before applying for an administrative position. You could try to get a job as a helper in an assisted living facility or a nursing home so that you can better understand what it takes to properly run this type of community. If you are in college, you can take some business administration and management courses. As many assisted living facilities are subject to a variety of government regulations, you may also want to understand the laws and regulations that govern them before trying to become an assisted living administrator. Finally, if you are working in an assisted living facility, inform your supervisor or human resources department of the fact that you are interested in moving into administration, so that they can help you reach your career goals.
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