The main tasks of an assisted living administrator are to handle complaints, communicate with insurance companies, supervise staff members, and control admissions within an assisted living community. This position comes with a large amount of obligation, since administrators are largely responsible for most administrative tasks including billing, funding, and budget balancing.
Residents of assisted living homes cannot complete most tasks on their own. Thus, it is the duty of an assisted living administrator to act as a representative for residents that require assistance. Administrators must know how to effectively communicate with other people, manage financial tasks, and organize daily activities.
In order to secure a position as an assisted living administrator, prospective candidates must first obtain a bachelor of science degree in health science, a certificate in assisted living management, or an associate of science degree in assisted living. In addition, most administrators study financial management, health law, or clinical management. Some university graduates seeking high-paid administrator positions will also obtain a graduate degree in health administration.
While the education requirements listed above pertain to almost all job openings within the administrative field, this profession is constantly shifting. Various countries and states may require additional education before a candidate can be considered for an assisted living administrator position.
Aside from necessary education, those wishing to work within the administration field should possess certain personality traits. Even though administrators must be analytical, they should also be compassionate. Often, residents of an assisted living facility have difficulty handling insurance issues.
Therefore, an assisted living administrator will have to act as a mediator between a resident and an insurance company. In addition, administrators may also be required to speak with family members concerning the health of a resident, which can be emotionally draining. Resident complaints, facility troubles, and building maintenance are all areas that an administrator will have to handle at some point during his or her career. People who are strong-willed, kind, and quick-witted will find the position of an administrator enjoyable.
Assisted living administrator positions can be found online, through nursing home and residence home websites, or through job placement agencies. Most employers prefer that candidates for this type of position have some type of prior health care experience, but proper schooling may be enough to secure a position in some cases. Salary expectations can vary drastically from facility to facility, though most successful administrators do rather well salary-wise in this field.