The Good Administrator
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The Good Administrator

Are you a good administrator? Do you have what it takes to lead employees in senior care today? What kind of management or leadership skills do you have? You have so many hats to wear. You’re the financial wiz, the counselor, the good and bad cop, a motivator, and a realist. So, what can you do to become a better administrator in senior care? Let’s take a look, shall we?

If You Are Going To Do Something…

Then do it well! Why bother doing it any other way? Leading employees to care for seniors who have all kinds of health and emotional problems is a wonderful thing, and you should be very proud of what you do. I am! Good administrators are worth their weight in platinum. But, it’s going to take a strong skill set to lead employees, oversee quality of care, balance the budget, and make continual improvements in the facility.

Necessary Skills

First and foremost, I believe that the good administrator must be a person of and for the people. Being an administrator is people-intensive. You must be able to relate to everyone in your universe, including your staff, residents, family members, and vendors. Being transparent, kind and honest as well as likable go a long way. Remember, you are energy and will attract similar energy. So, if you are kind and understanding, you will attract people that are also kind and understanding.

Second, you should have a handle on the clinical side of the facility. You probably have a good background in business and management, but it is very helpful to have a well-rounded background in gerontology, geriatrics, medicine, and geropsychiatry. Having a good understanding of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is also helpful, especially if your community has a memory care unit.

Third, manage the paperwork before it takes you over. Administrators have a lot of reports and documents that are financial, legal, regulatory, and medical, so stay on top of them.

Fourth, be able to lead in multiple areas at once. This takes preparation and planning. The facility is a hybrid of medical care and senior residence as well as a business. You have many tasks to juggle including management of staff, allocating resources, enforcing policies and procedures, and handling everything else that is never planned for but always takes place.

Fifth, the building is yours. Act like the owner. Walk through the hallways on a daily basis. Know the names of your residents, families, staff and others. Listen to what your staff need to get their jobs done well. Is there a need for better or new equipment? How does the physical environment look? Does it need a facelift? If it were your home, what would you have done to it?

Sixth, love what you do and make sure everyone knows it. It is very difficult to be successful at something that you dislike. It may work for a while, but eventually you’ll feel uninspired. When you love what you do, your energy and passion will continue to drive you, many times without you even thinking about it.

Seventh, it is smart to operate with some flexibility. Change is the name of the game in senior care, especially when it comes to regulations, turnover, policies and procedures, and financial responsibilities. Employees also have needs that are ever-changing.

Eighth, wisely invest in each generation working under your roof. You may actually have 3 or 4 generations all working together at once, and this is sometimes more than just interesting. It can sometimes be very difficult. Understand what employees of each generation need, how they communicate and how they respond.

And last, to be a great administrator, go to Collins Learning right now and invest in the best compliance training and continuing education for your entire team. Courses are all streaming video and feature me as the host surrounded by various experts in their fields. Check it out!

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