Dementia care and marketing workers see highest salary growth in ALFs

Where are assisted living facilities' priorities?

One way to gauge that is to see where they’re spending their money. Or rather, who – and how much – they’re paying. In 2013-2014, the emphasis was on human resources and dining services, especially chefs. In 2014-2015, it’s all about marketing and dementia care.

From 2014 to 2015, the highest percent increases were seen by the Director of Marketing and Dementia Personal Care Aides (DPCA), according to the 18^th annual edition of Assisted Living Salary & Benefits Report published by Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Services. Directors of Marketing reported a 3.4 percent year-over-year salary increase from $56,795 to $58,751. DPCAs reported a 3.5 percent year-over-year hourly wage increase from $11.69 to $12.10.

Turnover rates for DPCAs increased from nearly 35 percent in 2014 to 39 percent in 2015. Average vacancy rates fell from 19.81 percent to 14.45 percent in 2015.

At all staffing levels and across the country, actual percent increases between October 2015 through September 2016 are anticipated to be between 2.5 and 2.7 percent. Planned percent increases for all employees from October 2016 to September 2017 are expected to stay between 2.5 and 2.9 percent. An overwhelming majority of pay raises are determined by merit, the report shows.

A total of 1,286 facilities provided compensation data on 64,362 employees nationwide. Of those facilities, 1,153, or about 90 percent, of the facilities were not-for-profit and 133, or about 10 percent, were for profit.

The report is the single most comprehensive source of information on the compensation and benefits practices of assisted living communities. It can be purchased here. 

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.