The Complete Guide
Assisted Living Technician
How To Become An Assisted Living Technician and save time and money on your certification
Why We Love Assisted Living Techs
What if you could have a career providing quality care to people, helping them remain healthy, strong and independent? What if, instead of medical school for four or more years, you could begin this exciting career in as little as 4 months?
Assisted living technicians help seniors who need some help with everyday tasks. These adults wish to remain somewhat independent and do not require full-time nursing care.
This rewarding career allows you to help people, make a positive impact in people’s lives, and feel good at the end of each day.
If you think you may have what it takes to become an assisted living technician, keep reading to find out what this career offers!
What Do Assisted Living Technicians Do?
Assisted living technicians help to care for senior citizens who live in assisted living facilities. These facilities provide some level of care while allowing residents to remain fairly independent.
Both these facilities and patients’ needs such care are on the rise in the US, as the country’s baby boomer population ages.
Technicians assist residents with basic daily tasks and could be different levels such as certain medical care, dressing, eating, bathing, toileting, transportation etc.
Those residents that are in wheelchairs may request an escort down to the dining room and back, as well as help transferring from their wheelchair to their bed.
Let’s say you are working as a technician in an assisted living facility. Every morning you make your rounds, helping your people get ready for the day. Your first stop is in to see Rose, who likes to have help dressing and getting her hair “just so.”
Next, you stop in to see Frank, who can dress but needs some help getting his shoes and socks on. You also help Frank sign onto his computer so he can Skype with his grandkids before they head off to school.
Later in the day you may take some of the residents to their physical therapy appointments and take some for a nice walk outside to see the sun and get some fresh air.
Whatever a resident may need help with and that doesn’t require medical attention, an assisted living technician is there to offer that help while providing more independence to the residents.
Assisted living technicians are an important part of the care team -they are compassionate people and skilled caregivers – and it’s no wonder why the profession is so important and the demand for these professionals is always high!
7 Reasons to Become an Assisted Living Technician
Here are the top 7 reasons you should consider a career as an Assisted Living Technician:
1. No Prior Experience is Needed
You don’t need any prior experience or degree to begin your certification program – you could start towards a career as an assisted living technician in as little as 4 months.
Yes, there are plenty of training programs aimed at cutting time short to help you hit the industry, working as a full time professional in a short period of time.
2. It’s an Emotionally Rewarding Career
If you are someone who has a desire to truly make a difference in people’s lives, this is a great career option for you. You will derive a sense of pride and satisfaction from helping residents feel safe, comfortable and cared for.
Working so closely with residents also gives you the perfect opportunity to form genuine bonds and lasting relations with them.
3. Exposure to Other Health Careers
Technicians work closely with other healthcare professionals such as nurses and administrators. This gives them an opportunity to watch closely and decide if someday they may want to further their education to advance their career.
And since you’ve already become acquainted with these professionals, you are in a position to obtain some professional guidance to help you make the best decisions.
Starting out, it is always best to make smart choices, especially in terms of your time and money. A hasty decision could cost a lot!
Working as an Assisted Living Technician is a great way to learn what the field has to offer and what you want to pursue.
4. Affordable Training
Becoming certified for a career as an assisted living technician can be done in a short amount of time and costs significantly less than other careers that require a 4-year college degree.
This gives you the power to kick-start your career in the healthcare sector, working in a reputed organization as soon as you complete the program.
5. No Two Days Are Ever Alike
While there is some routine to your day, there are always new things going on. Sometimes you may be involved in a scheduled outing or field trip and the next day you may meet some new residents that are moving in.
The social element of the job makes it very interesting as well as rewarding. This is also a physical job where you get to keep moving all day. So if you hate the idea of being stuck in a cubicle behind a computer M-F, then this may be a great career choice for you!
6. Flexible Schedules
Residents require care at all hours of the day. While the daytime shifts may be the busiest, technicians are required to be on staff around the clock. So if you prefer working regular hours, you have that option.
But if you like the idea of shift work to spend more time with family, this may be a good fit.
7. Excellent Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts significant job growth for this profession in the coming years, but we’ll get to specific stats in just a bit.
How to Get an Assisted Living Technician Certification
You’ll find that most employers typically require candidates to be certified and demonstrate their abilities to land a job in the field. So a certification may be the best way to get started in this exciting new career.
We recommend you take our certification savings quiz to get started.
Take the Quiz! >
Our quiz could help you save time and money on a certification program from an authorized school or accredited university – and it takes less than a couple of minutes to complete.
5 Things to Look for In An Assisted Living Tech Certification Program
1. Find an online Assisted Living Technician program from authorized schools or universities
To get started on your new career path you’ll want to gain the proper education. The healthcare industry rewards candidates that are formally trained for the work.
Beyond acquiring new skills and knowledge, you’ll have a certificate to proudly display on your wall.
2. Look for a discount and a low monthly payment plan
Admittedly, not all schools offer these financial opportunities and we understand the needs of adult learners. That’s why OnlineDegree.com has made it our mission to help adult learners get huge discounts toward their certification!
We want you to focus on your professional future as we help you find the schools and universities that offer some of the most affordable training programs.
3. Make sure an externship placement is included
While certification is required, what will really help you stand apart from other candidates is real-world experience. Certification will ensure that the required medical training is provided, and that a complete and in-depth understanding of the assisted living environment can only come from real-world training.
4. Look for an online, mentor-supported course you can take at your own pace
Busy adults should look for online certification courses that allow them to study at their own pace and on a schedule that works best for them. That way, they can maintain family and other responsibilities
5. Find out if textbooks are included in the cost of the program
Textbooks for an Assisted Living program can cost a fortune! Make sure to find a program that doesn’t charge extra for books.
6. (Bonus!) Use our free quiz to find a certification program that meets all of these criteria
We’ve done the research for you! Save time by using our healthcare quiz to get matched with the best certification programs. All programs meet these criteria and are chosen for you based on your career goals and life situation.
Assisted Living Technician Salary Data
How much do Assisted Living Technicians make? Here is the salary and growth data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
According to the BLS, the average annual salary of patient care technicians (the general description for an assisted living technician) was $33,013 as of June 2020.
That number is determined by a few things, namely certification, experience, and location. For instance, someone working and living in Houston may earn a bit more, while someone living in a very rural part of the country may earn a bit less.
Most technicians work full-time. They may work evening and weekend hours, depending on residents’ needs.
Assisted Living Technician Job Growth Projections and Forecast
How fast is the assisted living technician field growing? Overall employment of assisted living technicians is projected to grow 36% between 2018 and 2028, which is far faster than the average for all occupations.
As the baby boomer generation ages and the elderly population grows, there will be more demand for these professionals. Assisted Living Technicians help senior citizens live independently, safely, and comfortably.
They assist with activities of daily living that may become difficult as we age, such as bathing and dressing, and provide companionship and emotional support. As more and more of the country’s population ages, more opportunities for these professionals arise.
While job prospects are good across the board, the BLS suggests those candidates who hold certification will have the easiest time landing a job. Luckily we can connect you with accredited universities that offer this training!
How to Find a Job as an Assisted Living Technician
Your first step toward your career as an assisted living technician is to complete the certification training program through an accredited university.
This will ensure a solid educational foundation and get you ready to enter the job market. Employers value that and we want you to start strong.
You’ll also want to think about what kind of schedule works best for your lifestyle. For instance, if you are raising a young family and require traditional 9-5 hours, then you’ll want to look for openings on the day shift.
Conversely, if you like the idea of working later afternoons or overnights, you’ll want to look for facilities that have openings for those slots.
Once you’ve determined your preferred work schedule, your next step is to gain some critical hands-on experience before starting your job search. The good news is a quality certification program will include an externship so you can gain some hands-on experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional questions and answers you may have about Assisted Living Technician.
Q: What Does an Assisted Living Technician Do Every Day?
A: Assisted living technicians help residents in assisted living facilities with certain daily tasks. On any given day they may help residents with:
- Dressing
- Bathing and skin care
- Feeding
- Mouth and hair care
- Making beds
- Toileting assistance and catheter care
- Helping patients walk and get exercise
- Assisting with range-of-motion exercises
- Transfer wheelchair-bound patients to and from their bed and other furniture
Q: What is an Assisted Living Technician Certification?
A: This certification is a valuable asset to have as it shows prospective employers that you have taken the time to learn the fundamentals. It will help you stand apart from the crowd and hopefully get your resume to the top of the pile!
Q: What Skills Will I Learn in Assisted Living Technician Training?
A: Your training will focus on preparing you to be able to handle a variety of essential services with compassion, sensitivity and understanding. Beyond the medical training provided, you will also receive full understanding of the assisted living environment.
Q: What Are the Prerequisites for Enrollment in a Certificate Program?
A: The only requirement for enrollment in these programs is a high school diploma or equivalent.
How to Start Towards an Assisted Living Technician Career In 4 Months
Even if you don’t have any prior experience or degree – you could start towards a career as an assisted living technician in just 4 months!
That’s one of the greatest advantages of this profession.
So here’s what we recommend you do to get started: Take this quiz to see if you qualify for an online certification program from an authorized school or university.
Certification is required or preferred by most employers. Plus, taking a certification program could be the best way to get your foot in the door, build your network, get training, and work experience.
Take this quiz to see if you qualify for:
- 10% Off A Certification Program
- An Externship For Real Work Experience
- Affordable Programs and Low Monthly Payments
- A FREE Laptop To Take The Course If You Don’t Have One
- No Extra Cost For Textbooks – All Included and Shipped To Your Door
- Online, Mentor Supported Courses You Can Take 24/7 At Your Own Pace
If you are ready to get started on an exciting and rewarding career caring for those in need, then take this short quiz to get started toward your dream!