A nationwide caregiver shortage is affecting tens of thousands of seniors across the country. To combat the issue, government entities and caregiving agencies are currently working to address a number of issues that are causing low retention and high turnover rates for employed caregivers across both the country and state.
Being a caregiver can be a profoundly rewarding experience. Those working in the industry can quite literally change the lives of the seniors they assist on a daily basis, allowing many of their clients to continue living independently for as long as possible.
However, as with most avenues of employment, the caregiving industry has had its share of challenges. Right now, the entire country is facing a shortage of qualified caregivers, leaving tens of thousands of seniors on waiting lists for caregiving services.
Of course, many of the issues faced by caregivers were brought to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a study conducted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), some of the challenges encountered for home caregivers were entirely new and a direct result of the pandemic. In other cases, however, the pandemic “worsened long-standing challenges in the industry.”
Some states did not recognize home care workers as essential during the pandemic, which limited access to personal protective equipment and testing.
ASPE’s study also noted staffing shortages were “exacerbated by recruitment and retention problems, limited training and career advancement opportunities, and poor pay and benefits for these workers.”
Some of the biggest challenges facing home caregivers during the pandemic included access to the COVID-19 vaccine, access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and transportation issues.
Over the last several months, many of those issues have been addressed. COVID-19 vaccinations are now widely available, and the federal government ensured they were made free to everyone.
However, vaccinations didn’t hit the market until January and because, in some states, caregivers weren’t considered essential workers, it took months of waiting to receive one.
Before vaccinations were made available to the public, many caregivers did not feel safe using public transportation to get to and from work, making it difficult to maintain sufficient staffing during the pandemic.
Luckily, state and federal governments have addressed some of the issues faced by those in the caregiving industry. A number of changes to policies and regulations have been implemented, prompting safer working conditions for caregivers.
Meanwhile, home care agencies also responded with changes to their own policies and practices.
ASPE noted that agency responses included “more comprehensive infection control protocols, shifting to virtual means of service delivery and communication, changes to staff duties and responsibilities, flexible scheduling, improved communication among staff and other supports, such as mental health services, groceries, transportation and childcare.”
At Timesavers, the hardships faced by caregivers has been a huge aspect of the company’s overall mission to create a compassionate support system of professional caregivers for families, whether at home or in a facility.
In fact, Timesavers was founded by two friends who had personally experienced the need for a service that was not only convenient, but compassionate. The company’s core values include gratitude for its families and team, relationships that create consistent, quality care, assisting its families with integrity, counsel and resources, compassion in all situations and encouragement for clients and caregivers alike.
Low pay has been one of the most common issues expressed by caregivers across the country. According to Forbes, caregivers in some states receive between $9.50 and $12 an hour, while employees at Target start out at $15 an hour.
At Timesavers, the need for better pay, and a better quality of life, is recognized. Advanced caregiving roles have been created to provide a track of professional growth along with better pay and specific hours. Employees also receive dental, vision and life benefits, flexibility in scheduling, holiday bonuses and extra pay and IRA contributions and matching.
And over the last few months, things have been looking up for caregivers. According to a recent NPR article, the federal government is currently giving states more dollars for home care.
“The American Rescue Plan, approved by Congress in March, provides a 10-percentage-point increase in federal Medicaid funding to states, or nearly $13 billion, for home and community-based services,” the article states.
That money must be spent by March 2024, and it can be used to provide “personal protective equipment to home care workers, train workers or help states reduce waiting lists for people to receive services.”
According to Forbes, the need for hiring will continue to surge, adding that the Argentum’s 2020 Workforce Trends Report has cited turnover rates exceeding 70% among caregiving staff in many skilled nursing facilities.
The number of caregivers needed has also increased exponentially due to longer lifespans. Research estimates conducted through Forbes show that many of the 67 million people over age 60 will need care at some point in their lifetimes.
Even more, another 65 million more Americans will turn 65 while “experts predict the number of seniors who need long-term care will increase to 15 million by 2050,” Forbes states.
These statistics point to a prominent, long-lasting need for employed caregivers – both right now, and in the years to come.
In an industry that’s expected to see substantial growth, a virus that’s finally on the decline, and a government that’s begun to improve working conditions, there’s hope that the caregiver shortage will be remedied over time as well. Timesavers will continue to grow and change to meet the needs of the changing industry and the needs of our staff and seniors.
-submitted by Timesavers
Sources:
“United States: CMS Office of the Actuary Releases 2018 National Health Expenditures.” MENA Report, Albawaba (London) Ltd., Dec. 2019.
COVID-19 Intensifies Home Care Workforce Challenges | ASPE. https://aspe.hhs.gov/covid-home-care-workforce-challenges
Trends And Predictions For The Senior Care Industry In 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/02/19/trends-and-predictions-for-the-senior-care-industry-in-2021/
