(Chelsea Update would like to thank Lisa French for the information in this story.)
Senior living organization Brio Living Services, with headquarters in Chelsea and Grand Rapids, Michigan, was recently recognized as a Certified Age Friendly Employer™ (CAFE) by the Age-Friendly Institute.
CAFE is the nation’s only certification program that identifies organizations committed to being the best places to work for employees aged 50+.
CAFE uses a best practices model as the basis for its evaluation of employers. These include workforce planning and policies; team member recruitment and retention; and compensation, healthcare, savings, and retirement benefits to name a few of the best practices categories for workers ages 50 and older.
“We are extremely proud to be recognized as a Certified Age Friendly Employer™,” said Brio Living Services President and CEO Steve Fetyko in a press release. “This is particularly poignant to us given who we serve. We have a vision of a world in which all are empowered to age well, including our team members, and we view this recognition as an important way we can work to achieve that vision.”
The purpose of the CAFE program is to assist 50+ job seekers by identifying age-friendly employers who are committed to objectively consider them for appropriate employment, free of agism.
Brio Living Services Chief Human Resources Officer Michelle Henderson said, “We don’t just serve older adults when they are retired. We commit to them aging well in all aspects of their lives, including their working years. Brio Living Services provides an enriching work environment that fulfills those who want to provide meaningful contributions. We also provide competitive income, supportive benefits, and significant contributions to retirement savings to allow our team members to age well.”
According to a March 2022 PHI National report, Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce, one in four direct care workers are aged 55+.
Henderson added, “As an organization that serves older adults, we understand, respect, and lift up the unique knowledge and experience they each bring to our communities. It only makes sense to show that same respect and appreciation in our commitment to hiring and keeping the 50+ year old workers who demonstrate their skill, compassion, and dedication each day on our teams.”
The CAFE designation began in 2006 and has been recognized by AARP and the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.
To learn more about Brio Living Services, visit www.MyBrio.org.
