Social Media Management for Senior Living: Tips and Best Practices

CEC Social Media Management Subcommittee

Effective social media management is essential for senior living communities to engage residents, families, and staff while protecting your community’s reputation. This new resource, Social Media Management for Senior Living: Tips and Best Practices, provides practical guidance for creating a positive, professional, and consistent online presence.

Designed for leaders, marketing teams, and frontline staff who interact with social media, this resource covers key strategies for:

• Crafting meaningful content that highlights community life, programs, and resident stories while maintaining privacy and dignity.
• Engaging families and prospective residents through thoughtful, transparent, and timely communication.
• Managing challenging situations online with professionalism, empathy, and de-escalation techniques.
• Aligning team communication so all staff represent your community consistently across platforms.

Whether your community is just getting started with social media or looking to refine existing practices, this resource offers actionable tips, best practices, and real-world examples to help your team communicate confidently and effectively. By following these guidelines, senior living communities can strengthen trust, enhance engagement, and create a positive, welcoming online environment that reflects the high-quality care and service residents and families expect.

Resource Structure

The guide is organized to support both new and experienced social media users, with clear sections that make it easy to reference best practices:

Table of Contents:

1. Overview (p.1) – An introduction to the importance of social media in senior living and its impact on resident satisfaction, family engagement, and community reputation.
2. Common Terminology Used in Social Media Management (pp.2–3) – Key terms and concepts every staff member should understand to navigate social platforms effectively.
3. Promoting Positive Engagement (pp.4–6) – Strategies for sharing meaningful content, highlighting community life, and creating opportunities for interaction online.
4. Responding to Negative Feedback (pp.7–9) – Guidance on addressing complaints or criticism respectfully, maintaining professionalism, and protecting your community’s trust.
5. DOs and DON’Ts for Senior Care Social Media (pp.10–12) – Practical tips on what to post, what to avoid, and how to maintain privacy and dignity while representing your community.
6. Case Studies (pp.13–16) – Real-world examples that illustrate best practices, lessons learned, and successful approaches to social media management in senior living.
7. Federal Government Enforcement (p.16) – An overview of relevant regulations and legal considerations to help your community stay compliant while engaging online.

Whether your community is just getting started with social media or looking to refine existing practices, this resource provides actionable guidance, clear examples, and step-by-step strategies to help your team communicate confidently and effectively.

By following these guidelines, senior living communities can strengthen trust, enhance engagement, and create a positive, welcoming online environment that reflects the high-quality care and service residents and families expect.

Registration is free to AHCA/NCAL members.

Questions about the resource may be sent to our Social Media Manager. Technical assistance may be directed to educate@ahca.org.