The Senior Living Hiring Playbook: How to Recruit, Interview, and Grow the Team Your Residents Depend On

Senior living runs on occupancy, and open positions deserve the same attention as vacant apartments. Ziegler's 2026 workforce survey reports 35.4% average annual turnover among respondents, and 24.8% use agency staff often, up from 16.8% in 2025. Debbie Penn built this playbook from 20+ years running recruiting and interviewing for a multi-site senior living operator.

Inside the Playbook, You'll Discover:

• Get applicants without leaning on staffing agencies. An open interview day that goes from interview to offer in one afternoon, and a shuttle bus that doubles as a mobile recruiting center.
• Interview for who will thrive. Prepared questions, the questions you should never ask, and where AI Interview takes the phone tag out of screening.
• Keep your people and hire less often. Three types of cross-training and a rollout that starts with one or two teams.

Start with the six-question check at the front. Each “no” points you to the part to read first.