How Aspenwood Is Building a Workforce for the Future
The senior living industry finds itself at a crossroads.
Demand is accelerating as the population ages, acuity levels rise, and families seek environments that offer not just care—but connection, dignity, and purpose. At the same time, operators across the country continue to face persistent workforce challenges, including staffing shortages, burnout, turnover, and an increasingly competitive labor market.
In a Senior Housing News article, “Higher Wages Alone Won’t Solve Senior Living’s Staffing Woes,” industry leaders echoed a truth many operators have learned through experience: compensation matters, but it is not enough on its own. Sustainable workforce solutions require a deeper commitment—one that addresses career growth, well-being, belonging, and long-term opportunity. Read the full article on Senior Housing News here:
Higher Wages Alone Won’t Solve Senior Living’s Staffing Woes – Senior Housing News
At The Aspenwood Company, this reality has shaped how we think about workforce strategy—not as a short-term operational challenge, but as a long-term investment in people, culture, and outcomes. While competitive wages remain essential, Aspenwood has intentionally gone further, creating a comprehensive approach designed to support associates holistically and provide clear, attainable pathways for professional growth.
This philosophy is embodied in Aspenwood Pathways, a career advancement framework built to empower caregivers, CNAs, nurses, and frontline team members to grow from entry-level roles into leadership, specialty care, and clinical positions—without leaving the organization to do so.
As Aspenwood President Heather Tussing shared with Senior Housing News:
“Pay alone isn’t enough—well-being, career growth and belonging are essential to retaining a thriving workforce.”
That belief sits at the heart of Aspenwood’s approach—and it is proving critical to building a resilient workforce prepared for the future of senior living.
The Workforce Challenge Facing Senior Living
The staffing crisis in senior living is not new, but it has evolved.
Over the past decade, operators have faced increasing competition from healthcare systems, home health providers, hospitality brands, and even retail and logistics companies—all vying for the same talent pool. The pandemic further accelerated burnout, reshaped employee expectations, and forced many workers to reconsider what they need from an employer.
According to national workforce data:
Senior living turnover rates have consistently exceeded 50% annually in many markets
Direct care roles experience the highest churn, driven by burnout, limited advancement opportunities, and emotional fatigue
Workers increasingly prioritize flexibility, purpose, professional growth, and mental well-being, often above wages alone
While raising wages has been necessary—and in many cases overdue—it has become clear that compensation increases without structural support do not solve the root causes of turnover.
As Senior Housing News highlighted, higher wages may help attract candidates, but they do not guarantee retention, engagement, or long-term commitment.
Why Wages Alone Fall Short
Higher pay can open the door—but it does not keep people in the room.
Caregivers and nurses enter senior living because they want meaningful work. They want to make a difference. But when their roles feel stagnant, unsupported, or disconnected from a larger mission, burnout follows—regardless of pay.
Several factors consistently influence whether employees stay:
Clear career progression
Access to education and skill development
Support for physical and mental well-being
Recognition and belonging
Leadership that invests in their growth
Without these elements, wage increases often become a temporary fix—one that is quickly eclipsed when another employer offers a slightly higher rate.
Aspenwood recognized early that competing solely on wages would create an unsustainable cycle. Instead, the organization committed to designing a workforce ecosystem that supports people at every stage of their career.
Aspenwood’s Philosophy: Beyond Wages, Toward Total Support
At The Aspenwood Company, workforce strategy is inseparable from culture.
Aspenwood offers competitive pay across licensed nurses, memory care caregivers, and frontline supervisors—but compensation is only one component of a broader promise to associates. The company’s approach centers on total support, encompassing:
Mental health resources and emotional wellness tools
Tuition reimbursement and continuing education
Wellness stipends that support physical and emotional health
Professional development and leadership training
Transparent career pathways across clinical, operational, and leadership roles
This framework acknowledges a fundamental truth: when associates feel supported as whole people, they are better equipped to provide exceptional care.
Aspenwood Pathways: Creating Clear Career Ladders
A cornerstone of Aspenwood’s workforce strategy is Aspenwood Pathways, a structured career advancement program designed to eliminate ambiguity around growth and opportunity.
For many frontline workers, the absence of a visible career ladder is a primary reason for leaving the industry. Aspenwood Pathways addresses this directly by showing associates what is possible—and how to get there.
What Aspenwood Pathways Offers
Aspenwood Pathways creates intentional routes for advancement, allowing team members to:
Move from caregiver roles into CNA or nursing tracks
Advance into memory care specialization or clinical leadership
Transition into supervisory, management, or executive roles
Gain access to mentorship, education, and internal promotions
By clearly defining progression, Aspenwood reduces uncertainty and empowers associates to envision a future within the organization.
Importantly, these pathways are not theoretical. Aspenwood has experienced record levels of internal promotions, reinforcing that growth is not just encouraged—it is actively supported.
Career Growth as a Retention Strategy
The connection between career growth and retention is well-documented across industries.
Research consistently shows that employees who see a future with their employer are more likely to stay, engage, and invest in their work. In senior living, where relationships and continuity of care matter deeply, this stability benefits everyone—residents, families, and teams alike.
Aspenwood’s approach demonstrates that:
Advancement reduces burnout by preventing stagnation
Internal mobility builds loyalty and institutional knowledge
Leadership development strengthens operations from the inside out
Rather than losing talented team members to other organizations, Aspenwood works to elevate them internally—ensuring leadership reflects lived experience and operational understanding.
Supporting Well-Being in a Demanding Industry
Senior living is deeply rewarding—but emotionally demanding.
Caregivers form meaningful bonds with residents and families. They navigate grief, complex care needs, and high expectations. Without adequate support, emotional fatigue can take a heavy toll.
Aspenwood addresses this reality head-on by embedding well-being into its workforce model.
Mental Health and Wellness Support
Aspenwood provides resources that support mental and emotional health, recognizing that resilience requires care, not just endurance. Wellness stipends and access to mental health tools signal to associates that their well-being matters—not as an afterthought, but as a priority.
Professional Development and Confidence
Education and training do more than build skills—they build confidence. By investing in professional development, Aspenwood equips associates to handle complex situations with greater assurance, reducing stress and improving job satisfaction.
Belonging and Culture: The Invisible Retention Factor
Beyond wages and benefits lies something equally powerful: belonging.
Employees stay where they feel seen, valued, and connected to a mission larger than themselves. Aspenwood’s culture emphasizes respect, integrity, and purpose—values that shape how teams interact with one another and with residents.
Leadership plays a critical role here. When leaders invest time in mentoring, listening, and supporting growth, trust follows. Aspenwood’s leadership philosophy reinforces that culture is not built through slogans—but through consistent action.
Workforce Stability Drives Better Resident Outcomes
Workforce strategy is not just a human resources issue—it is a care quality issue.
Stable teams lead to:
Stronger resident relationships
More consistent care delivery
Improved communication with families
Higher satisfaction and engagement
When associates stay, residents thrive.
Aspenwood’s investment in workforce development aligns directly with its mission to Live Life Well®, ensuring that residents experience continuity, compassion, and excellence every day.
Preparing for the Future of Senior Living
As the industry looks ahead, the need for a skilled, engaged workforce will only intensify.
Baby boomers are entering senior living with higher expectations, greater complexity, and a desire for personalized experiences. Meeting those expectations requires more than staffing coverage—it requires empowered professionals who see senior living as a career, not a stopgap.
Aspenwood’s approach offers a blueprint for what that future can look like:
Competitive wages paired with long-term opportunity
Clear career pathways that reward commitment
Holistic support that sustains people emotionally and professionally
A culture that values growth, belonging, and purpose
As Heather Tussing noted in Senior Housing News, lasting workforce improvements require thinking beyond immediate fixes.
“When it matters most, operators can move quickly when a crisis strikes—but lasting workforce improvements will require changes that move beyond higher wages.”
Attracting the Next Generation of Senior Living Professionals
The senior living industry has an opportunity—one that extends beyond retention to recruitment.
By telling a stronger story about career mobility, purpose, and impact, operators can attract a broader and more diverse workforce. Aspenwood Pathways is part of that story, demonstrating that senior living offers not just jobs, but meaningful, evolving careers.
As the industry competes with healthcare systems, technology companies, and home-based care providers, differentiation matters. Aspenwood differentiates by investing in people—today and for the long term.
A Workforce Built to Last
Higher wages are an important step—but they are only the beginning.
At The Aspenwood Company, workforce sustainability is rooted in a belief that when associates are supported, empowered, and given room to grow, everyone benefits. Residents receive better care. Families gain confidence. Communities thrive. And employees build careers they are proud of.
The challenges facing senior living are complex—but the path forward is clear. It runs through people, purpose, and possibility.
Written by – Christina O’Leary