Finding an interim wellness director allows senior living communities to maintain stability during leadership transitions without rushing into a permanent hire. Interim wellness leaders provide experienced oversight while organizations protect resident care, support staff, and reduce the risks associated with hurried long-term hiring decisions.

The process typically involves the following steps:

• Recognize the need for interim leadership: Identify when a gap in wellness leadership could affect clinical oversight, compliance, staff stability, or resident care continuity.
• Avoid rushing permanent hiring decisions: Use interim wellness leadership to maintain operations and reduce turnover, compliance risk, and long-term hiring costs.
• Define immediate leadership needs: Clarify the scope of responsibility, urgency of the transition, and whether the role requires clinical oversight, operational leadership, or both.
• Determine the appropriate role and title: Focus on responsibilities rather than job titles, recognizing that the roles of wellness director and resident services director often overlap.
• Engage an interim healthcare staffing partner: Work with executive search firms or healthcare staffing partners to access pre-vetted interim wellness directors who can step in quickly while long-term recruitment continues.

Senior living communities operate best with strong wellness directors and leaders who support quality care, motivate staff, and keep things running smoothly. When a wellness director leaves, whether suddenly or with notice, it can create uncertainty for both operations and clinical teams. This is when an interim wellness director can step in.

An interim wellness director offers steady leadership during times of change and brings important experience when it’s needed most. No matter whether the position is called resident services director or wellness director, the main goal is to maintain consistent care, support teams, and uphold high standards until hiring a new leader. 

What an Interim Wellness Director Does

An interim wellness director assumes responsibility for overseeing wellness operations during a leadership gap. While the length of each assignment varies, their attention remains on keeping operations reliable and streamlined despite the absence of a permanent wellness director. 

Interim wellness directors typically assume responsibility for:

• Supervising nursing, caregiving, and wellness staff.
• Maintaining clinical oversight and medication management processes.
• Reinforcing compliance standards and documentation practices.
• Supporting resident care planning and service coordination.
• Ensuring wellness programming continues without disruption.

Beyond operational duties, interim leaders also support staff by rebuilding their confidence and setting clear expectations for accountability. They also become another point of contact between families and other senior living leaders. Ultimately, their role is not only to “hold the place” for a permanent director but to stabilize operations while the organization prepares for permanent leadership.

Wellness Director vs. Resident Services Director

In senior living, the roles of resident director and wellness director often overlap. The title wellness director is becoming more common as the job now covers much more than just planning activities. 

Today, wellness directors are frequently cross-trained in resident services and manage all areas of care. In many senior living communities, the titles wellness director and resident services director are interchangeable, as both roles may oversee staff coordination, quality-of-life initiatives, and the overall resident experience.

When searching for interim leaders, focus on the scope of responsibility rather than the title alone. If the role requires clinical oversight, compliance management, and support for resident well-being, an interim wellness director is typically the stronger fit.

Why Senior Living Communities Turn to Interim Wellness Directors

Leadership changes in senior living often occur unexpectedly. When a wellness director leaves, the entire senior living facility feels the effects instantly. Communities might already face staffing shortages, higher resident care demands, or upcoming regulatory inspections. Without consistent leadership, even brief absences can cause uncertainty among staff and residents.

An interim wellness director provides experienced leadership during these periods of change. By stepping in quickly, interim leaders can stabilize teams, maintain clinical oversight, and prevent disruptions that could affect residents or staff. This approach allows communities to address immediate needs without committing to a rushed long-term hire. 

The Risk of Rushing to Hire a Full-Time Wellness Director

Hiring a full-time wellness director under pressure can cause costly mistakes. When recruitment teams rush the process, they may overlook fit, experience, or leadership readiness. This ultimately leads to a bad hire, which can result in inconsistent care practices, a damaged reputation, poor staff morale, and increased turnover. As a result, senior living facilities may experience lost revenue, potentially affecting their long-term operations. 

By hiring an interim wellness director first, senior living communities gain the time needed to carefully evaluate candidates and avoid repeating leadership redactions.

The Process of Finding an Interim Wellness Director

Most senior living facilities can’t afford the time to train interim wellness directors formally. However, having a clear hiring process and subsequent onboarding process can help the interim leader step in with confidence and provide stability during the transition. As a result, senior living communities can protect resident care standards and ensure continuity of care. 

Define Immediate Leadership Needs

Before beginning the search for an interim wellness director, senior living facilities should clarify the short-term needs of the senior living communities. This includes assessing the urgency of the transition, the scope of responsibility, and whether the role requires clinical oversight, operational leadership, or both. 

This evaluation may include reviewing current staffing challenges, resident care needs, and any pending surveys or inspections. Having clear, defined expectations helps prepare the interim leader to address the most urgent challenges immediately upon transitioning into the role.

Partner with an Executive Search Firm

One of the most essential steps in finding an interim leader at a senior living facility is finding an executive search firm. While it’s possible to find an interim leader independently, the search can take far longer than necessary, and may eat away at resources many small organizations don’t have. Executive search firms, however, have access to vast networks of experienced interim wellness directors, so they can help pick a candidate who’s ready to step in on day one. 

Executive search firms like MedBest have firsthand experience working in executive roles, such as wellness directors. As such, they can quickly connect senior living facilities with candidates who have the necessary credentials, experience, and regulatory knowledge. This approach reduces hiring risks, fills gaps promptly, and allows internal teams to focus on long-term hiring while interim leaders manage daily operations. 

Create a Clear Interim Job Description

Before reaching out to candidates, senior living communities should create a clear job description for the interim wellness director role. Even if the position is temporary, it’s important to set clear expectations. 

The job description should include:

• Immediate priorities and stabilization goals.
• Clinical oversight or compliance responsibilities.
• Staffing supervision expectations.
• The duration of the interim assignment. 

Clear documentation helps avoid confusion and keeps the organization and executive search partner on the same page. It also lets candidates decide if they can meet the community’s needs right from the start.

Evaluate Qualifications

Most interim wellness directors typically have backgrounds in senior living or long-term care and possess a solid understanding of regulatory standards. Certain roles may also demand RN or LPN licensure, especially when they involve medication management or clinical oversight.

Strong candidates should have:

• Direct experience in senior living or long-term care leadership.
• A working knowledge of compliance standards and survey preparation.
• Adaptability in fast-moving or high-pressure environments.
• Communication skills to work with staff, residents, and families.
• The ability to build trust quickly within established teams.

Prior interim leadership experience is especially valuable. Candidates with these qualities are able to step into unfamiliar settings and ensure quality care even with minimal onboarding.

Conduct Interviews

When interviewing candidates for the interim wellness director, focus on their readiness, not just their resume. Since these roles need immediate results, include scenario-based questions in the interview, such as what they would do to stabilize teams or how they would prepare for regulatory surveys under tight timelines. These discussions help you see if the candidate can lead confidently with little onboarding.

Transition and Offer Ongoing Support

Once you send an official offer letter to the candidate, your interim wellness director can begin work. During this transition, focus on immediate priorities like staffing concerns or ongoing initiatives, so they can assess the current risks and stabilize operations. For recruiting teams, this transition may also involve providing access to key documents, including policies, recent survey reports, and performance data. With this information, the interim wellness director can make better-informed decisions. 

Even though the role is temporary, continuity is key. To maintain it, you’ll need to establish a regular check-in schedule to see how the interim wellness director is adjusting to the role. During this time, encourage them to document everything. The future permanent hire will need a documented history of any changes the interim leader made. This step may be small, but it’s paramount for the permanent director to step into the role with clarity and momentum. 

The Benefits of Partnering with MedBest When Hiring Interim Wellness Directors

Filling an interim wellness director role requires more than locating an available candidate. Senior living communities need experienced leaders who can step into active environments, assess risks quickly, and provide stability without lengthy onboarding. 

MedBest specializes in recruiting and transitioning senior living leadership roles. With our strong network of professionals with direct experience in wellness, resident services, and clinical oversight, we know what to look for when hiring for interim positions. Because of this, MedBest can connect senior living facilities with interim wellness directors ready to lead as soon as one to two days. Contact MedBest today, and we can get you started on your search. 

FAQs About Interim Wellness Directors

Are Wellness Directors and Resident Services Directors in the Same Role?

In many senior living communities, the roles often overlap or are similarly structured. Both may manage staff coordination, resident programs, and quality-of-life efforts. However, the wellness director title increasingly signifies a broader scope, especially in clinical oversight, compliance, and the integration of care services. When hiring an interim leader, senior living facilities should prioritise responsibilities over titles.

What Qualifications Should an Interim Wellness Director Have?

Interim wellness directors typically have leadership experience in senior living or long-term care settings. Many roles require strong knowledge of regulatory standards and, in some cases, RN or LPN licensure when clinical oversight or medication management is involved. Equally important are leadership abilities such as decision-making under pressure, effective communication with staff, and the ability to build trust quickly.

How Long Does an Interim Wellness Director Typically Serve?

Assignments vary based on organizational needs. In most cases, interim wellness directors remain in place for several months while permanent leadership is recruited and onboarded. Some assignments may extend beyond their original duration if operational stabilization or compliance initiatives require continued oversight.

Can an Interim Wellness Director Support Compliance and Surveys?

Yes. Interim wellness directors are frequently engaged to prepare for regulatory surveys, address corrective action plans, or stabilize documentation practices. Their experience allows them to identify risk areas, reinforce compliance standards quickly, and support teams through inspections or audits.

When Should a Community Consider Hiring an Interim Wellness Director?

Communities should consider interim leadership when an unexpected resignation, extended leave, compliance concern, or operational instability arises. Hiring an interim wellness director early can prevent disruption, protect resident care, and reduce the risk of rushed permanent hiring decisions.

About Julie Rupenski, Founder & CEO of MedBest

Julie Rupenski is the Founder & CEO of MedBest Recruiting. Since opening its doors in 2001, Julie has grown MedBest into an award winning, multimillion-dollar national firm, garnering impressive awards including Business Insider’s Top Recruiting Firms in US 2026, INC 5000, Tampa Bay Fast 50, and Top Interim Services Provider!  In addition, Julie was named as one of the Top 100 Women Leaders in Tampa 2022 and again in 2025 by Women We Admire.

Julie’s in-depth knowledge of the Senior Living Industry can be credited to the years she worked in operations in the industry. Today, she still makes it her personal and professional mission to place qualified executives in positions where they have the greatest impact.