Time for Solutions: Aging Services Workforce Development

Posted by Julie Boggess on Apr 20, 2021 1:13:02 PM

 

Aging Services providers are screaming from the mountain tops about the workforce crisis.   Could it be that policy makers are finally listening?

The workforce crisis is about the inability of aging services providers to fill open positions and the lack of competitive wages.

Most definitely,  a hopeful headline announced President Biden's plan investing billions to build an aging services workforce.  

The Value of Excellence in Elder Care

The time is right to seriously discuss the value of quality Elder Care in the United States.  In addition, it is imperative that we intensify  advocacy for improvements to strengthen services and supports for consumers.  Moreover,  we must enhance jobs for 4.6 million home care workers and nursing assistants.

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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Aging in the Workplace, caregivers, Aging Service Provider, Professional Caregiver, Hospital Professionals, elder care, home care, aging services workforce, workforce crisis

REVEAL Aging: The New Generation of Workforce Education

Posted by Julie Boggess on Mar 29, 2021 9:15:08 PM

The Aging Services Industry faces a triple-whammy when it comes to workforce turnover and retention.

The first hit is the massive turnover that occurred and continues to occur because of the pandemic.   Second,  the turnover is on top of existing unfillable vacant positions.  Thirdly, there are new entrants into the field who have no prior experience caring for older adults.

We don't want just warm bodies.  Yet, providers had to scurry and pull from every corner to get to bare staffing requirements.  Now, providers hang on hope that the good employees will not jump ship as the pandemic fades.  What are we to do about this massive issue?

Much of the focus will continue to  be on recruiting new employees, and rightly so.  However, great attention needs to be given to how to keep the new, good employees.  At the same time, it is critical to also maintain the spirit and engagement of the seasoned employees.

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Training, Hospital Professionals, Caregiver Training, aging, AGE-u-cate®, education, AGE-u-cate Training Insitute, Employees, Pam Brandon, turnover, older adults, AGE-u-cate Training, REVEAL Aging

Home Sweet Home: Transforming Aging in Place

Posted by Julie Boggess on Mar 15, 2021 10:08:10 PM

 

This is where people want to be.. home. It is time to examine changes needed for people stay safe and well with availability of appropriate care and services.

 

The Home Health/Care Industry quickly stepped up to the plate during the COVID pandemic.  The demand for services ballooned almost over-night, and providers responded with a fierce determination to serve those in need.

The challenges were not that different from long term care.  However, one might argue they were a bit more challenging due to the remote nature of the workforce.

COVID testing and protocol training required an enormous amount of coordination.  Another challenge was the lack of testing for the home-bound elders, and discovering that in desperation for care,  dishonesty of symptoms was a factor.

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Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Family Caregiver, Training, Aging Service Provider, Hospital Professionals, caregiving, aging, Workforce, home care, COVID, home health

The Impossible: Doing the Hard Things with Resilience

Posted by Kathy Dreyer on Aug 3, 2020 6:56:19 AM

Alan Packer said, “We can do hard things—it’s the impossible that takes a little longer.” Well, we have been doing hard things for quite a while now. In fact, it seems that we are in the ‘impossible’ phase now. Truly, I believe we have been working on accomplishing the “impossible” for quite some time now, aided by resilience.

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Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Family, Hospital Professionals, Faith Community, health

Persevering During the Ongoing COVID-19 Triathlon

Posted by Kathy Dreyer on Jun 29, 2020 3:26:43 PM

The sustained presence of COVID-19, including the fluctuating easing and reinstating of restrictions, makes it difficult to feel hopeful. As a result, it is critical to identify ways to support our mental and physical wellbeing. It will help us as we work to keep persevering.

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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Hospital Professionals

Validation in Dementia Care: Thank You, Naomi!

Posted by Ann Catlin on Dec 5, 2019 9:00:55 AM
Validation helps caregivers step into the world of a person with dementia, creating understanding and empathy.
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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Memory Care, Family Caregiver, dementia, Family, caregivers, compassionate touch, Alzheimer's disease, Hospital Professionals, dementia friendly, understanding, touch

World Alzheimer Report: Private Sector Response

Posted by Julie Boggess on Dec 2, 2019 9:50:21 PM
Let's not wait for the public sector to develop plans to address the dementia crisis. The private sector can and should play a large role.
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Topics: The Faith Community, Senior Care Professionals, Aging in the Workplace, Dementia Live®Training, Hospital Professionals, Faith Community, faith communities, education, families, hospitals

Hospital Readmissions: Challenges for the Patient and Caregiver

Posted by Kathy Dreyer on Nov 14, 2019 3:06:54 PM

Hospital readmissions can be costly, in terms of the effect on the patient being readmitted and the related expenses. The American Health Care Association (AHCA) established a Quality Initiative (Initiative) to support the level of care in both the long-term care and post-acute care settings. The Initiative aligns with programs underway by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address long-term care challenges and costs related to hospital readmissions.

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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Hospital Professionals

The Importance of Education for Informal Caregivers

Posted by Julie Boggess on Nov 11, 2019 10:21:21 AM
Members of the First United Methodist Church in Arlington Heights, IL attend an Eldercare Educational Program about Understanding the Continuum of Eldercare.
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Topics: The Faith Community, The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Aging in the Workplace, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, Hospital Professionals, Faith Community

Wisdom from a Friend with Dementia

Posted by Julie Boggess on Nov 4, 2019 12:34:48 PM

 

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Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Dementia Live, Hospital Professionals

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