Senior Living Caregivers Prioritize Modern Communication Tools in Job Decisions Amid Staffing Crisis

Senior living operators report that job candidates are increasingly asking about specific technology during interviews, with smartphone-based caregiver communication tools becoming a key factor in hiring decisions. Caregivers are one of our top referral sources, said Greg Robertson, SVP and General Manager at Notify, a healthcare software company. We've had operators tell us their new hires specifically ask if Notify is in use—because they had it at a previous job and don't want to go back to anything else.

The trend reflects shifting workforce expectations in an industry facing severe staffing shortages, with 96% of assisted living communities reporting workforce challenges, according to a 2023 Nationwide study. The preference stems from stark differences between traditional and modern caregiver communication tools. Many communities still use legacy nurse call systems with SIP phones and other devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies/radios, costing $150-$1,000 each—equipment that caregivers find bulky and frustrating compared to the smartphones they use daily.

Staff really just want a smartphone, something they use every day, said an IT director at a Wisconsin senior living provider that recently modernized across 15 communities. The organization replaced multiple communication devices with a unified smartphone platform. With nurse call systems costing hundreds of thousands to replace, providers' communication tool options have been limited by their existing hardware. Notify solves this problem with cost-effective nurse call software for legacy equipment, being the only software-over-hardware solution that allows communities to modernize without replacing existing nurse call infrastructure. Caregivers find it easier to use; all alerts—nurse call and life safety—route to one smartphone app with push-to-talk functionality, eliminating the need to carry multiple devices while improving their ability to coordinate their responses.

With less than 30% of senior living organizations retaining over 80% of new staff after one month, according to 2025 industry data, technology preferences are becoming retention factors. Being able to just have a slim smartphone instead of bulky walkies and pagers has been well received, noted one nursing officer. It makes their day smoother. Beyond caregiver satisfaction, unified platforms enable better coordination and data analytics for healthcare operations. The detailed reporting shows leadership the full story of each response—finally giving caregivers credit for the full-scale of their work and contributions.

Our caregivers love it, said the Wisconsin provider's Chief Nursing Officer. As the population aged 85 and older is expected to grow to 19 million by 2060, according to demographic projections, operators are finding that meeting workforce technology expectations—including recognition through better visibility—may be essential for staffing adequate care teams. Learn more at https://notifync.com.