Published: November 7, 2025
Updated: August 20, 2026
CNAs provide hands-on support that shapes residents’ daily experiences. Depending on the position, some appropriately trained and authorized team members may also have medication-related responsibilities.
At Kensington Senior Living, CNAs work as part of a collaborative care team supported by licensed nursing professionals.
If you are considering a CNA career in senior living, here is what the role can involve, how medication responsibilities may differ, and how the experience can support your professional growth.
Our promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own.
Can CNAs Administer Medication?
In some roles, yes. However, medication administration is not automatically part of every CNA position.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing assistants provide basic care under the direction of licensed nursing professionals, and their duties may include medication administration.
Whether medication-related duties are part of a particular position may depend on:
- State laws and regulations
- Training or additional nursing credentials
- Demonstrated competency
- Delegation and supervision requirements
- The responsibilities assigned to the position
- Kensington policies and procedures
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing also emphasizes that delegation requirements vary by jurisdiction.
Licensed nurses remain responsible for nursing judgment and for determining when delegation is appropriate.
CNA and Medication-Qualified Responsibilities
A CNA role may include:
- Assistance with dressing, grooming, and personal care
- Mobility and ambulation support
- Meals, hydration, and daily routines
- Approved monitoring and documentation
- Observing changes in a resident
- Communicating concerns to licensed nursing professionals
When medication-related responsibilities are part of an appropriately trained and authorized position, a team member may also perform approved medication tasks within the scope of the role.
The distinction is important. CNAs can make meaningful contributions to resident care, while licensed nursing professionals retain responsibilities requiring nursing judgment.
If medication-related work interests you, review the qualifications for each position when you explore open positions at Kensington Senior Living.
A Day in the Life of a CNA at Kensington
No two residents have exactly the same needs, and no two shifts are identical.
Still, CNA work in senior living often combines direct support, careful observation, communication, and meaningful relationships with residents.
Starting the Shift With Communication
A shift may begin with updates from nurses and other team members about resident needs, recent changes, and priorities for the day. That information gives CNAs useful context as they begin supporting residents. It also helps the broader team provide consistent care.
Communication continues throughout the shift. When something changes or a question arises, CNAs can share observations and concerns with licensed nursing professionals and other team members.
This collaborative approach helps keep everyone focused on the same goal: supporting each resident as an individual.
Supporting Residents Through Daily Routines
Much of a CNA’s day centers on the routines that make up everyday life.
That may include:
- Helping someone get ready in the morning
- Assisting with grooming and personal care
- Supporting safe mobility
- Helping during meals
- Encouraging participation in daily routines
- Supporting independence whenever appropriate
How that help is provided matters. At Kensington, Hallmarks include fostering choice, encouraging independence, and protecting dignity. That means daily support should not feel like a checklist. It should reflect the resident’s preferences, abilities, routines, and comfort.
A CNA may learn how a resident prefers to begin the morning, which routines are especially important, or when that resident would rather complete part of a task independently.
Those details can make everyday care more personal while helping residents remain involved in their own lives.
Learn more about Our Promise and approach to care.
Notice, Communicate, Connect
Because CNAs spend significant time providing direct support, they can be well-positioned to recognize when something seems different.
Three skills can be especially valuable in senior living.
1. Notice
Pay attention to both the resident and the task.
A change in appetite, mobility, energy, comfort, mood, or behavior may be worth sharing with the care and nursing team.
The CNA’s role is not to diagnose the cause. It is to recognize what has changed and respond within the responsibilities of the position.
2. Communicate
An observation becomes more useful when it reaches the appropriate team member.
Clear and timely communication allows licensed nursing professionals to determine whether a change needs additional assessment or follow-up.
It also means asking questions when instructions or resident needs are unclear.
3. Connect
Knowing residents can make observation and communication more meaningful.
A familiar team member may notice that a resident is quieter than usual or learn about a concern during an everyday conversation.
These relationships are one of the qualities that can make a CNA career in senior living especially rewarding. Over time, you have opportunities to learn residents’ personalities, preferences, and routines while becoming a familiar part of their day.
When Medication Support Is Part of the Role
For appropriately trained and authorized team members, some shifts may also include approved medication-related responsibilities.
Those duties must remain within applicable state requirements, training, credentials, delegation requirements, Kensington procedures, and the scope of the individual position.
Candidates should refer to the specific job description for details on required credentials and medication responsibilities.
How CNAs and Nurses Work Together at Kensington
CNA work does not happen in isolation.
CNAs bring frequent direct contact with residents. Licensed nurses bring clinical assessment, nursing judgment, and oversight. Other care team members also contribute their expertise.
That collaboration may involve:
- Following individualized care plans
- Sharing observations about residents
- Documenting information within assigned responsibilities
- Communicating questions or concerns
- Coordinating support as resident needs evolve
- Completing authorized duties within each team member’s role
For a CNA, this means contributing valuable firsthand observations while recognizing that licensed nursing professionals are responsible for clinical decisions that require nursing judgment.
At Kensington Senior Living, clinical collaboration and attentive daily support work together. CNAs may notice important changes during ordinary interactions, while nurses can determine whether those changes require clinical assessment or changes in care.
That shared communication helps create greater continuity for residents and gives team members a clearer understanding of their individual responsibilities.
Can a CNA Role Lead to a Nursing Career?
A CNA position can provide valuable direct-care experience for someone interested in growing within senior living or pursuing a nursing career.
The role gives you opportunities to strengthen skills in:
- Resident care
- Observation
- Communication
- Documentation
- Time management
- Teamwork
- Relationship-building
Depending on your goals, education, licensure, state requirements, and available positions, future pathways could include a medication-related role where applicable, LPN or LVN licensure, RN licensure, memory care, or care and nursing leadership.
Those pathways are not automatic. Each has its own education, licensing, experience, and position requirements.
CNA experience provides a strong foundation for working directly with older adults and collaborating with other care professionals. It can also help you understand whether a longer-term career in senior care or nursing feels right for you.
Why Build Your CNA Career at Kensington Senior Living?
A career decision is about more than a job description. You also want to know how you will be supported and whether there is room for professional development.
Our current team member benefits include:
- Competitive salary
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off
- Overtime opportunities
- Complimentary meals and uniforms
- Career growth and paid training opportunities
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee Referral Bonus
Benefits and eligibility may vary by position. Visit our Kensington Senior Living Careers page for current opportunities and position details.
For someone who values relationships with older adults, teamwork, continued learning, and the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways, senior living can offer a rewarding place to build a career.
FAQs: CNA Careers at Kensington
Additional training, certification, or demonstrated competency may be required depending on the position and state. Because requirements differ by jurisdiction and role, candidates should use the individual job posting as the source for required credentials and responsibilities.
Strong CNAs combine practical care skills with attention, communication, patience, and respect for resident independence. Being able to recognize changes, communicate clearly, follow care plans, and build trust with residents can all be valuable in a senior living setting.
Kensington currently lists career growth and paid training opportunities among its team member benefits. The specific training and development opportunities available may depend on the role and community.
Visit our Kensington Senior Living Careers page to see current openings and requirements across our communities. We currently list career opportunities by location on that page. You can also find a Kensington community near you.
Start Your CNA Career With Kensington Senior Living
If you are looking for a role that combines direct resident support, teamwork, and opportunities to grow, we invite you to explore a CNA career with Kensington Senior Living.
You can bring your skills to residents’ everyday lives while learning alongside experienced team members and becoming part of a community centered on choice, independence, dignity, and personal connection.
Explore open positions at Kensington Senior Living to find current opportunities and position requirements.
Join the Kensington family and discover where your career can grow.