There are many elderly people in our society who need assistance with some basic daily tasks but refuse to give up living a somewhat independent lifestyle. Still in its infancy, assisted living provides senior citizens the opportunity to live in a semi-independent environment. This sector of the healthcare industry is going to explode in the next 10 to 20 years due to the large number of baby boomers headed toward their golden years. With such an enormous customer base expected and the growing need for care alternatives for more independent seniors, the industry will also experience a giant wave of employment opportunities in a variety of fields.

Assisted living is housing plus supportive services for adults who are not safe living independently. Services include meals, supervision and overseeing everyday life tasks such as dressing, bathing, eating and administering medication. It is quite different from other senior services such as nursing homes. "This service offers less activity than an independent facility but more so than a nursing home," explains Jeff DeBevec, director of marketing with Houston-based Belmont Village. "Most residents are mobile, some have wheelchairs, some have walkers; they are healthy but frail." Loneliness is a big issue for many elderly people, which is why assisted living provides a community environment where life is maintenance-free. Most communities provide residents with activities such as arts and crafts and even computer programming courses.

According to the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), there are currently an estimated 27,277 assisted living communities across the country. Tons of baby boomers are expected to reach the age of 65 during the period between 2010 and 2030. By 2030 there will be twice as many people 65 and older (70 million) as there are today, setting the stage for the industry to reach its full potential.

ALFA's study, Overview 2000, highlights some interesting trends taking place in this industry: The average occupancy of assisted living residences increased to 91.5 percent in 1999 compared to 90.4 percent in 1998. Approximately 52.2 percent of the residents were reported to have some level of Alzheimer's disease or dementia impairment.

Although many assisted living residences do not give medical care on site, changes are starting to take place. A growing number of facilities have nurses on staff. "Assisted living today does give a lot of [medical] care," says Stella Mora Henry, co-owner and co-administrator for Culver City, Calif.-based Vista de Sol Health Services. "People need to take different medication, have insulin shots administered; they don't have to be moved to other facilities for these services."

Job opportunities for medical professionals are plentiful in this sector. Unfortunately, there has been a critical shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the past few years. Just like every other area of the healthcare industry, assisted living facilities are in desperate need of RNs as well as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and nurse aides. "There are several reasons as to why there is such a shortage," Henry explains. "Many women have decided to stay home with their kids instead of work, others have decided to work in home healthcare where the hours may be more flexible and there are many people that don't like working with the elderly." The shortage is expected to get worse before it gets better. According to Vanderbilt University researchers Peter Buerhaus and Douglas Staiger, by the year 2020, the nation will have 20 percent fewer RNs than it needs. The demand is so great that these professionals are being offered signing bonuses, tuition and student-loan reimbursement. A 1999 salary survey by WageWeb reports that the average salary for nurses is $44,484.

Many facilities do not have a dietitian on staff; however, they are still in high demand. Clinical dietitians assess patients' nutritional needs, develop and implement nutrition programs, and evaluate and report results; and in some instances they may also manage the food-service department. With the number of elderly people on the rise, opportunities in this field should increase. However, many companies have and will continue to substitute other workers such as food-service managers. According to WageWeb's 1999 survey, dietitians earn an average salary of $40,398 annually.

Other jobs in demand include activity and learning coordinators, who keep the residents active through different courses such as art and computers; administrative assistants; directors of clinical/wellness services; human resource professionals; marketing directors; and sales representatives. Because the demand for these professionals is national, professionals can consider relocating to either a small town or big city for employment opportunities. Potential earnings for professionals in these and other fields vary. For example, ALFA reports that human resources managers can earn anywhere from approximately $35,000 to $64,000. The director of clinical/wellness services can collect a salary ranging from approximately $60,000 to $80,000.

The outlook for this industry is bright, considering the biggest asset is the increasing number of residents. However, ALFA's report notes that the competitor to be watchful of in the future is the condominium industry. Condos have become alternatives for "affluent" senior citizens. Some of the larger developers of condos are starting to offer basic health services to certain residents. In the meantime, this sector will continue to thrive, bringing along a wide range of career options for today's healthcare professional. - SHERRI PFEIL, Staff Writer

Top Companies

ARV Assisted Living Inc.
www.arvi.com
This Los Angeles-based company operates approximately 60 assisted living facilities in 10 states including California. The firm owns 15 of the facilities and leases or manages the rest. Services include housekeeping assistance, medication management and a wellness program.

Beverly Enterprises Inc.
www.beverlynet.com
The Fort Smith, Ark.-based organization not only operates assisted living centers, which generate 90 percent of the company's revenues, but nursing homes, outpatient therapy clinics and home-healthcare centers.

Sunrise Assisted Living Inc.
www.sunrise-al.com
The company operates about 150 facilities in 23 states, mostly on the East Coast, in the industrial Midwest and California, as well as one in the United Kingdom. This McLean, Va.-based business has more than 60 projects in development.

American Retirement Corp.
www.arclp.com
American Retirement, based in Brentwood, Tenn., offers independent and assisted living, skilled nursing and healthcare for the elderly and those with Alzheimer's disease. It runs more than 50 senior living communities in 15 states.

Greenbriar Corp.
www.greenbriar.com
This Addison, Texas, company, formerly known as Medical Resource Companies of America, operates about 30 assisted and full-service independent living centers for senior citizens in 11 states.

Capital Senior Living Corp.
www.capitalsenior.com
The Dallas-based firm owns or manages approximately 40 senior residential properties in about 20 states throughout the United States. The company not only provides assisted living, but independent livingand nursing services as well.

Balanced Care Corp.
www.balancedcare.com
The Mechanicsburg, Pa.-based business offers assisted living services to nonurban areas in places such as Arkansas, Indiana, Florida, Ohio and West Virginia. The 65 facilities provide 24-hour personal support services to residents.

Assisted Living Concepts
www.alcco.com
The Portland, Ore.-based company operates residences for seniors who do not need full-time nursing care. It runs about 175 assisted living centers in 16 states. This firm is targeting Medicaid and private-pay clients in communities with populations of 10,000 to 40,000.

Marriott Senior Living Services
www.marriot.com
Known as the top lodging company in the world, the firm also offers other services including assisted living. The Bethesda, Md.-based company has more than 150 properties serving more than 25,000 residents nationwide.

Life Care Centers of America
www.lcca.com
The Cleveland, Tenn.-based company is a privately owned operator of retirement and healthcare centers. The company manages more than 200 facilities in 28 states, including retirement communities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and provides home healthcare as well.

Source: Hoover's Online