Strategies for Expanding Talent Pipelines in Long-Term Care

The post-acute care industry is at yet another crossroads. By 2050, the 65-and-older population in the U.S. will rise to 82 million, meaning the opportunity to provide care will be greater than ever before. However, for an industry grappling with ongoing staffing shortages, this statistic is more troubling than it is exciting.

According to AHCA’s State of the Sector 2024 report, 7 out of 10 skilled nursing providers still have fewer employees than they did prior to the pandemic, with 46% limiting admissions as a result. Additionally, a recent report issued by the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) found that home health providers turn away over 25% of referred patients due to staffing shortages.

This raises the question that keeps providers up at night: If we don’t have the workforce to meet care demands today, how can we possibly meet them tomorrow? Unfortunately, there is no easy fix. To meet care needs both now and in the future, the industry must rethink how it attracts the next generation of workers and supports them throughout their careers.

Proactive Recruitment Strategies

Recruiting in post-acute care isn’t just about filling today’s vacancies—it’s about ensuring a sustainable workforce for the future. Expanding talent pipelines means increasing awareness of career opportunities and proactively engaging with potential candidates before they even enter the job market.

Partner with Local Schools

Introducing students to careers in long-term care (LTC) early on can spark interest and shape their career paths. Outreach programs, career fairs, and job shadowing opportunities are great ways to showcase the rewards of caregiving. Encouraging volunteer opportunities is another simple yet effective approach. This could include one-on-one interactions, such as students reading to residents, or group activities like a local school choir performing at your facility. These experiences help foster a sense of purpose while subtly inspiring future careers in caregiving.

Collaborate with Nursing Schools & Vocational Programs

Building relationships with nursing schools and CNA training programs creates a direct pipeline of qualified candidates familiar with LTC settings. One five-star-rated senior care provider partners with a local vocational school, allowing students to work in their communities while receiving training. Once certified, they are eligible for full-time or part-time employment, ensuring a steady influx of trained professionals. This strategy, coupled with clear career advancement opportunities, helps this provider maintain a reliable workforce.

Offer Internship Programs

Internship programs can provide valuable hands-on experience for young professionals while offering organizations a pipeline of future talent and fresh perspectives. For example, Goodwin Living, a nonprofit senior living organization, has developed a structured, paid internship program that spans multiple departments, including healthcare, marketing, finance, and brain health. The program runs year-round, with interns participating in skill development workshops, individualized projects, and a unique mentorship initiative where they are paired with residents.

While a program like this requires a significant investment—including dedicated staff to manage the program and training for supervisors—the payoff can be substantial. In an article from iAdvance Senior Care, Goodwin Living shares how its internship program has proven to be a strong recruitment tool, with several interns transitioning into permanent roles.

Turn Everyday Interactions into Hiring Opportunities

Some of the best hires may not be actively job-seeking but rather excelling in customer service roles elsewhere. Consider these unconventional recruitment tactics:

• Carry business cards and hand them out when you receive excellent service at restaurants, retail stores, or from gig workers who may be looking for more stable career opportunities. A great attitude and strong people skills often translate well into caregiving roles.
• Post “We’re Hiring” signs in community centers, coffee shops, and grocery store bulletin boards—places where potential candidates may frequent.
• Recruit at faith-based and community gatherings, where many individuals are naturally inclined toward service-oriented work. These are also great places to discuss volunteer opportunities, which could spark an interest in a new career.

Leverage Social Media in Unexpected Ways

Traditional job postings are important, but thinking outside the box on social media can attract fresh candidates. Some providers are hosting live Q&A sessions on Facebook or Instagram to discuss opportunities and give current employees a platform to share their experiences.

“Day in the Life” content, such as short, engaging videos of employees sharing why they love their work, is another powerful way to showcase the many rewarding benefits of working in senior care.

Finally, consider nontraditional social channels. Many providers are experimenting with TikTok to recruit younger generations, while others are utilizing neighborhood apps like Nextdoor to share opportunities.

Look to Employees for Referrals

A structured caregiver referral program can be one of the most effective hiring strategies in senior care. Studies show these programs not only accelerate the hiring process—reducing the average time-to-fill from 55 days to just 29—but also bring in higher-quality candidates. Employees tend to refer individuals they trust, which often leads to better cultural fits and stronger team cohesion. Additionally, referred hires tend to stay longer, with 46% remaining for at least a year compared to just 33% of job board hires.

Beyond improving retention, referral programs also offer significant cost savings by minimizing reliance on job advertisements. They also provide access to passive candidates—those who aren’t actively job searching but may be open to new opportunities when recommended by a trusted connection.

Enhancing Employer Branding

Prospective employees are drawn not just to jobs but to workplaces where they feel valued and connected to a larger purpose. Once you have a candidate’s attention, maintain it by showcasing workplace culture, mission, and the meaningful impact employees have on residents’ lives.

• Put Your Workplace Culture at the Center of Hiring: Highlighting a supportive, team-oriented environment through social media, company websites, and hiring materials can make a lasting impression on potential hires.
• Leverage Employee Testimonials & Success Stories: Sharing real stories from current employees about their career growth, personal fulfillment, and the relationships they’ve built with residents can resonate deeply with job seekers.
• Trigger Emotional Connections: People want to feel their work has meaning. Featuring videos, blogs, and interviews that emphasize the human impact of careers in aging—like the difference a caregiver makes in a resident’s daily life—can inspire more individuals to pursue careers in the field.

Stay Competitive with Compensation & Benefits

Compensation will always be a key factor in attracting and retaining talent. Because of this, organizations must continuously examine what they offer in terms of both starting salaries and wage increases. Salary reports such as those from Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Services (HCS) can be helpful resources, but it’s also important to stay on top of what competitors in your area are offering.

And while compensation is important, a lower wage offer can often be offset by stellar benefits, such as:

• Covering Certification Costs: Covering the costs of initial CNA certifications can remove financial barriers for those considering a career in LTC.
• Sign-On Bonuses & Tuition Assistance: Offering sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, or loan forgiveness programs can help attract new employees.
• Work-Life Balance Benefits: Benefits like childcare assistance, flexible scheduling, earned wage access, and wellness programs can help employees manage personal responsibilities.
• Career Paths & Professional Development: Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, seek employers who invest in their growth. Programs like Admin-in-Training, Chef-in-Training, or access to online Continuing Education (CE) help drive engagement and retention.

Provide a Modern, Streamlined Onboarding Experience

A strong talent pipeline is only as effective as the onboarding process that follows. A modern, streamlined onboarding experience ensures that new hires feel supported, engaged, and ready to succeed from day one.

Showd.me helps providers move their onboarding process online, delivering a digitized version of forms and attestations straight to new hires and sending proactive reminders to complete paperwork. Once onboarding is complete, Showd.me ensures new hires are trained and ready to provide the best care possible.

For more information on Showd.me’s services for onboarding and training, visit us at www.showd.me.