Dear Cindy – LPN Interested in Assisted Living

I am interested in working in an assisted living facility. I am a full scope LPN in Vancouver, BC, and I work on an acute medical ward. I am starting to find that my back, shoulders, knees, and ankles are trying to tell me that they are getting tired. I have had a few work-related injuries as well. How do hospital units and assisted living differ (physical work-wise and wage/benefits-wise)?

Sincerely,

O

Assisted living fits between independent living at home and the skilled medical care or daily nursing services provided in a nursing home. As such, assisted living facilities are for people who are able to care for themselves, except for a few activities. That is, they may use wheelchairs, walkers, or other ambulatory devices, and require supportive care with daily living, such as bathing, dressing, or toileting. Also, they may need medication management, or may have cognitive impairments that require supervision and cueing about daily routines. The majority of assisted living residents are elderly, with the typical American in assisted living described as "… a woman in her eighties … [who] is either widowed or single."

The salary and benefits for LPNs are usually similar in both settings. In general, in assisted living facilities, duties include: assisting residents with care and activities; supervising aides; interacting with each resident's healthcare team (e.g., physician, pharmacist); supervising the storage, distribution, and discontinuation of residents' medication; responding to resident emergency calls. Since staff does assist with daily care, some lifting, positioning, etc., is required. You could ask during an interview about the needs of the population at the facility, e.g., how "heavy" the workload is, and what sort of ergonomic/assistive equipment they have onsite.

Your first step, however, should be to get some treatment for your current physical problems, and find some training to help minimize the risk of (or exacerbation of) back and joint problems. (And you may want to consider looking for jobs with "lighter" populations, e.g., in pediatrics or in clinics.)

Good luck!