The Top 10 Skills a Hospitality Assistant Needs to be Successful

One of the most important aspects of any skilled nursing facility is having quality hospitality assistants. With how often they interact with the seniors it’s no wonder that for many customers even one bad assistant can completely ruin their experience. So what attributes does a successful hospitality assistant possess and what skills should you work towards attaining in order to be an asset in the senior care industry?

What is a Hospitality Assistant?

To start we need to answer the question “what is a hospitality assistant and what do they do”? In senior care, there will often be instances where help is needed either emotionally or physically. Whether it’s help with physical hygiene, cleaning their living area, or administering a client’s medication, hospitality assistants are with them every step of the way. This role also helps a senior with some of their social needs as well providing them some emotional support on top of everything else.

10 Skills of Every Successful Hospitality Assistant

Here are just some of the skills a successful hospitality assistant needs to have.

1. Composure

Having a strong composure is a big must in senior care. There are times when seniors can get frustrated but matching that frustration is not the proper way for an assistant to conduct themselves. Those who continue to maintain a calm presence especially in those situations help lead to a more comforting atmosphere for the residents.

2. Focus on Residents

Hospitality assistants should be placing their attention first and foremost on the residents. Doing this helps the elders with that feeling of isolation facilities can sometimes have due to seniors feeling overlooked. A worker should make it their duty to help them whenever they can and make sure that they feel cared about.

3. Patience

When faced with negativity or frustration from elders a little patience can go a long way. Some patients may require more time and calm than others but it’s an important step that aids in the healing process of the person that is being cared for.

4. Trustworthiness

Families everywhere are trusting you to take care of their loved ones. Workers need to prove that they can maintain honesty and integrity so that family members and residents are comfortable with their care.

5. Ability to Connect with Clients and Coworkers

The ability to connect with those around you is a very important aspect to have in this field of work. Getting to know not just your clients but your coworkers gives the nursing facility an overall far friendlier feel.

6. Selflessness

A failure to be selfless is a failure to serve others. Putting the clients before yourself is mandatory in the workplace. This helps the seniors feel that they matter and gives them a stronger sense of self-worth when those around them see them as worth something.

7. Initiative

Initiative is the sign of both a great leader and a great hospitality assistant. There are situations in which something may go wrong and having someone who is either authoritative or makes the first move will help calm the seniors down and give everything a sense of control.

8. Forward-Thinking

Forward-thinking is quite a useful skill to work towards for any hospitality assistant. Seeing something everyone may label as a problem and turning it into an opportunity is a very desirable trait, furthermore; pondering how you want a situation to go ahead of time will leave you prepared for any sort of situation you may face at the workplace.

9. Innovation

Being innovative and the willingness to share those ideas with others is part of the process of making anything better. Constantly improving and changing things as needed is a must-have trait of any skilled nursing facility employee.

10. Collaboration

They say there’s no “I” in “team” and that holds true especially in senior care. Collaborating with your co-workers leads to things being done both more efficiently and with a better result. That comradery will also rub off on the elders and will put them in higher spirits knowing that it isn’t just one person working to help them but a whole team.

Are You Interested in Becoming a Hospitality Assistant?

If you are looking for a high-quality, resident-centered senior care facility to live or work in, look no further. Colavria Hospitality is a local, family-owned management and consulting company specializing in skilled nursing communities and senior living in the greater Denver area. Our wide capacity for assistance and rehabilitation ensures maximum care for all residents.