Managing a Community of Senior Adults

I wanted the community manager position in Los Angeles. In fact, I had hoped that the opportunity would come for me to manage a highrise building of senior adults and it did! I had heard about the stress being less, because management didn't have to parent children and their parents as much like in a multi-family complex. There would be less traffic coming to and fro too since most senior adults aren't into the party scene as much. So this would be a cinch, right? Wrong!

Headaches were coming and fast! I wasn't on the site a week before word spread that there was a new manager in town and "she was going to fix things up!" To make things more interesting most of the residents didn't speak English. They had an interpreter who was available the day they signed their leases, but that person was long gone and now a friend of a friend would occasionally come by to see how things were going. This guy was a god-sent! He didn't work with our company, he just volunteered his service to translate letters periodically and communicate a message or two to residents.

I jotted down what the needs of the people were. I spoke with the owner's assistants out of town over the phone. I tried to get everything these people asked for from visitor parking to upgrades on the building and sometimes all I heard was,"No money in the budget for that." How frustrating!!

After repeated phone calls, emails and visits from a few from the corporate office, I felt a strange sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, "You won't be here long." I had struggled to find the answer to why things had changed in less than a year of being there--it seemed initially everyone was working with me, but towards the end. It was me against "they."

Didn't the big bosses understand that the people were uncomfortable at times in their small apartments fit for no one but themselves? Was it too much to ask for an assistant who spoke their language? Could someone please stay awhile to help me get these people's files straight? Was anyone interested in helping me clean up the last manager's messes that I had uncovered while surfing through resident files?

As much as I liked the work at home feel I had living on site and the fact that I wasn't dealing with a very large community of people at a challenged property, I would have to say goodbye. No cooperation from management and well what's a girl got to do, huh?

N. McGuire

"No Old Folks Dwelling for Me"

He was in his seventies when he walked into my office. The well-dressed man with a designer quarter length tan print shirt and slacks with what appeared to be brown gator shoes was interested in staying in a multi-family dwelling that had well over 500 residents.

As we talked more about his interests desiring things like a one bedroom suite, nearby laundry and other amenities, it seemed to me that he might want to visit some of the other complexes our company owned. He was a bit of a social butterfly who could benefit from some of the activities for seniors at our other properties.

The Christian gentleman politely told me he wasn't interested in fact he was hell bent on the apartment complex that had a little bit of everyone. He looked around while listening to me. Watched the residents as they walked by. Digressed from anything that sounded a little bit like looking at "other properties."

"I don't think I would like living in a building with old people." He finally admitted. I just laughed. So I took him on the tour and it wasn't long before we were at my desk signing the lease.

N. McGuire