Inside Argentum’s Senior Living Workforce Credentialing Plans

Establishing career paths and promoting career development have increasingly come into focus for senior living providers seeking to combat turnover and bolster a consistent workforce. They can also help to attract and retain top talent. But, ensuring that workers have the proper training and knowledge to climb career ladders can be difficult.

Industry association Argentum is tackling these issues head-on and we’re excited about Argentum’s work in this area. In fact, OnShift recently announced a corporate partnership with Argentum to promote workforce excellence in senior care and we will be collaborating on a range of initiatives to overcome workforce challenges in the industry.

In late 2015, Argentum established the Senior Living Certification Commission, a separate, independent organization to operate and maintain credentialing and certification processes.

The Path to Certification

Over a year ago, Argentum began to seriously look at professional development and education opportunities for senior care employees. And in late 2015, Argentum established the Senior Living Certification Commission, a separate, independent organization to operate and maintain credentialing and certification processes.

The commission recently revealed its first certification initiative for assisted living executive directors. Paul Williams, Vice President of Credentialing & Certification Programs, shared some details with us on what it entails.

What does the certification involve?

Assisted living executive directors who want to be certified would have to pass an off-site, proctored exam. To establish criteria for the exam, the commission has had subject matter expert panels meet to perform job task analysis and determine what an executive director should be able to do and what they should know. Questions for the exam were developed from there and certification is voluntary.

What is the timeline for the certification?

The first certification test for assisted living executive directors will be administered in fall 2016. The commission is developing exam prep materials likely to be launched this summer, and additional materials will become available in the first quarter of 2017.

Why roll out such credentialing?

Many states require that people undergo initial training or pass an exam in order to become an executive director at an senior living community, but Williams explained that much of this is geared toward knowledge of statutes governing assisted living in a given state. But they hardly deal with human resources, marketing, resident care and other areas, all of which the commission’s certification exam address.

“In order to have a successful executive director, they need to be proficient in all these areas,” Williams says.

What initial feedback has the commission received about the certification?

Though the initiative is relatively new, Williams says there’s been quite a bit of interest from both individuals and companies alike.

“The interest out there is high, and we think that’s because a lot of executive directors are invested in taking the next steps as senior care professionals,” Williams says. “I can also see this eventually being attractive to companies and something that they’ll look for when hiring.”

What’s next?

The commission hasn’t yet announced its next certification process, there are other credentialing opportunities for senior living positions that are under consideration. “We think that this will go a long way in internally and externally professionalizing the industry,” Williams says.

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