Beauty Salon Services in Assisted Living
One of the perks of life in a senior community is more time to spend on you. With housekeeping and meal preparation out of the way, you can relax at the on-site salon for pampering and social time with friends. If you’re used to regular salon visits, your community’s beauty and barber services can help you maintain your grooming routine.
If you’re not a regular salon-goer, your first visit or two may convince you to adopt the habit. Senior living community salons are typically staffed with professionals who prefer to work with mature clients, and serve as a social hub where you can meet your neighbors. Here are answers to a few common questions about assisted living salon services.
Do I need an appointment?
In general, yes. It’s always a good idea to book your appointment well ahead of time if you have a special occasion coming up, such as family photos, a birthday, or a big night out. Salon hours are usually morning through early afternoon, although some may extend their hours before the holidays.
What salon services are available?
Most onsite salons offer standard hair-care services including shampoo and style, cuts, and color, plus beard trimming and shaving for men. Permanent waves, hair straightening, braids, and deep conditioning may be on the menu, too, and some salons also offer manicure, pedicures, and foot massages.
Depending on where you live, your on-site salon may offer more specialized and spa services. For example, the Cleveland-based SalonPS chain of assisted-living salons provides chair massage and makeup artist services in addition to hair and nail care. Generations Salon Services, a national senior-care chain, adds special services such as body waxing, wig styling, and full-body massage.
Finally, if you have a stylist and massage therapist you just can’t do without, you may be able to bring them to you. Some communities open their salons to outside professionals during off hours, if they’re willing to travel and you’re willing to pay travel fees.
How do I pay for beauty and barber services?
In most communities, salon services are paid for separately. Payment options vary, and salon rates may or may not include sales tax and gratuities, so it’s a good idea to ask how to pay before you make your first appointment.
In some places, residents’ salon fees are deducted from their petty cash accounts after each service, so all you need to do is sign in. In others, families and residents can pre-pay for monthly salon care, again eliminating the need for you to pay at the time of service. At still others, residents pay their stylists directly with cash or a credit card.
Your senior community salon may offer gift certificates, a fact you can mention when family and friends ask you what you’d like for your birthday or the holidays. Gift certificates are also a nice gift for fellow residents, especially if several people go in together to buy one.
How much do services typically cost?
This varies from place to place, but on-site salon services are often priced lower than rates at outside salons. For example, The Inn at Belden Village in Canton, Ohio, prices men’s and women’s haircuts at less than $12 and a shampoo and set at $14. Prices are a bit higher at Northport Retirement Centers of Florida but still well below standard salon rates; men’s and women’s haircuts are less than $20 and a shampoo and set or blow-dry is $19.
Talk to the staff at your senior living community or the stylists at your on-site salon to find out what services they can offer you. You may find that a regular trip to the salon or spa is one of retirement’s best benefits.
Casey Kelly-Barton
Casey Kelly-Barton is an Austin-based freelance writer whose childhood was made awesome by her grandmothers, great-grandmother, great-aunts and -uncles, and their friends.
18 Comments
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I think this article should be updated it was a yearago June of 2015
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Your article is a year old could you please update
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Great information you such shared with us! Yes, salon and spa is most important part of housekeeping person’s to feel relax. Thanks!
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Very helpful and great information, I think taking appointment before coming is always a good idea. It saves our time and during that we can do other work.
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Thank you so much. I am starting a new hair job at an assisted living facility. For the previous comment’s, price’s don’t usually change every year. It varies from demographics and facilities. As well as stylist.
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Yes, I agree with your view Senior living community salons are typically staffed with professionals who prefer to work with mature clients, and serve as a social hub where you can meet your neighbors.
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Trying to get a job in one of the New Jersey locations. I would love to work with seniors in A assited living community. I am a licensed cosmetologist
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Hearing about the prices for services was very helpful. In the new senior living salon for one month only prices were slashed and those prices would not cover the rent and supply costs. So beginning 3/1/18 prices going up. Located in high desert LA County. I’ve decided on $18 for cuts,$16 for s/s or SBD. $45 for tints, $62 for perms. Love the clientele!
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I have been working at an assisted living facility for 3 years and have had a problem getting paid I am 2 months behind on my pay as of now I have contacted corporate headquarters several times they say it’s because that it has not been turned in from the facility but when I ask the facility they always give me excuses why it’s not turned in at a loss on who to contact next .
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Great article!! I would love to find out how to obtain a salon in an assisted living facility. If you have any information, could you please let me know. Thank you!!
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What are the rates now. For 2018. And how can you make a living off that kind of money? After taxes and products??
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Any luck? I’m filling out an application for a job as we speak
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I had no idea that some hair salons could also provide spa services. It is good to know that you can relax while getting your hair done. A friend of mine was talking about how he needed to get a hair salon for his wife, so I wanted to help him out.
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My question to other hairdressers who work in senior buildings is do you pay “rent” to work there? I really need to know because I feel I am being charged an unreasonable about. I feel this is a service in these facilities. Input, please.
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No, I do not not pay and never heard of one charging. Are you able to take clients off the street? You signed a lease? is that in the lease? or Contract? Can you set your own prices? Since your renting out a space in there facility. Do you have full control are you the Boss? See where I’m at So far the only thing I had to compromise was going by appointments to first come first serve. Other than that, I’m the BOSS. Well, I can’t set my own prices ( can’t go over $20 due there finances alotted every two weeks) But that’s cool too, it’s my way of giving back. If I did that I wouldn’t be the one to occupy the salon. I would have had to keep search of another opportunity. Long story short no.
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How much are all nail services and pedicures prices
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I think it is so important for people to feel and look good. In my area, the prices are a bit exorbitant with a simple haircut and style being $42 and a shampoo and set being $25. My mom used to get her hair done at a local salon that only served a senior population and she paid $12 for a shampoo and set – the old time curlers and sitting under the dryer.
It is a shame that it is cost prohibitive for some people to get their hair styled. Especially in light of how expensive the assisted living is anyway. It would seem fair to have services inside the facility that might be a bit more reduced.
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I liked that you said that one thing to consider when looking to have your hair done professionally is finding out how much it costs. I would imagine that gaining an understanding of the cost of getting your hair done would help you to be prepared and feel comfortable at the end of the appointment. I would be sure to ask my hair stylist for the cost of the services prior to having the work done so that I am not surprised afterward.
