Business View Magazine | April 2019

215 ProMatura asked participants whether they have choices in their daily life, whether they receive the help they need, and whether they receive the privacy they want. A majority of residents—91 percent—felt they had choices in their daily life. Ninety-four percent felt they re- ceived the help they needed while at the same time maintaining the level of privacy they wanted. Given that the overwhelming majority of participants felt both a sense of belonging and control, it is clear that senior living provid- ers in California are providing a high quality of life for their residents. Maintaining that high quality is important as senior living grows steadily in response to the aging of the population. Since 2005, the California Department of Social Services reports that an additional 1700 RCFEs have been licensed, adding the capacity to care for an additional 23,000 residents. According to the California State Plan on Aging, California is home to more than six million people age 60 or older. By 2050, that population is expected to reach 13.9 million, an increase of 179 per- cent from 2010. In addition, the population of Californians 85 and older is expected to grow from 600,000 in 2010 to over 2 million in 2050. As those numbers increase, so too will the demand for senior housing and services. Workforce Development A higher demand means the need for a larger workforce. In fact, during CALA’s 2016 strate- gic planning meeting, workforce was the issue that rose to the top of all the discussions. In addition to the jobs and team members need- ed to care for the growing population of resi- dents, the CALA Board of Directors identified challenges with recruitment stemming from the need for a bigger talent pool and a general lack of awareness of senior living as a career option. To meet those challenges, CALA’s Workforce Development Committee created a new suite AT A GLANCE CALIFORNIA ASSISTED LIVING ASSOCIATION WHAT: An association representing California’s Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly WHERE: Sacramento, California WEBSITE: www.caassistedliving.org