Decreasing the Caregiver Churn Rates even during the Crisis
With a surging caregiver turnover rate every year, home care agencies are undeniably facing huge challenges to retain experienced caregivers.
While most of the home care organizations put every effort into making caregivers feel comfortable and appreciated; there’s a significant proportion of quality service providers switching their jobs every quarter.
As we all know, the entire United States is facing a tough time battling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already proven to be one of the biggest crises in U.S. history.
The home care industry is severely impacted by the coronavirus outbreak and it’s getting tougher for agencies to manage quality care, minimize caregiver turnover rates, and minimize the loss at the same time.
Here we’ve compiled a few ideas that are designed to boost satisfaction among your dedicated employees and minimize caregiver churn rates during the global crisis.
Emphasize Safety Procedures for your Caregivers
One of the biggest concerns among caregivers working for any home care business is their safety.
Be it any potential risk to their safety while delivering care or the risk of getting contamination from an infected person, your caregivers are always expecting that their agency must ensure that they have covered everything for their safety and well-being.
When we talk about safety while delivering care (other than COVID-19), there are certain aspects that every home care agency delivering personal care services should emphasize. Here are some ideas:
- Frequent communication: Immediate communication with the caregiver during an emergency is perhaps the best way to ensure their safety. A smart mobile app can help agencies in analysing the location of the caregiver by checking their last clock-in or clock-out location.
- Update them about potential risks: Providing accurate information regarding the potential risks in a particular area in advance could be the perfect way to enhance the safety of your dedicated employees. Inform them about severe weather conditions including thunderstorms, hurricanes, or heavy rainfall in advance so that they can plan their work and safety accordingly.
- Focus on other essential safety concerns: As a responsible home care service provider, you should update your caregivers regarding other safety concerns which include:
- Medical emergencies
- Staying safe at home
- Transportation troubles
- Navigation issues
- Responding to potential threats
Apart from this, the home care agency should equally emphasize the overall health of the caregivers during the pandemic. Let’s discuss how to ensure caregiver safety during the pandemic.
Stress on Caregivers’ Health
While most caregivers are delivering quality care even in the crisis, a majority of caregivers are reluctant to join duties fearing the COVID-19 infection.
As a responsible home care organization, you should provide all the support and equipment required to meet the highest level of protection against the novel coronavirus.
Here are a few crucial considerations that every agency need to emphasize right now:
- Ensure adequate supply of PPE: The only way to prevent COVID-19 infection is to ensure that your caregivers are using proper personal protective equipment while delivering care. Using facial masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers is essentially important, and supplying the same in the required proportion is your responsibility.
- Reassure that you are well prepared: Caregivers fearing to deliver care need reassurance from your side that you are well prepared for any emergency. Assure them that you are taking adequate measures to enhance their safety and are prepared for any severe condition.
- Provide additional facilities: Caregivers delivering care during the crisis in the United States, and around the world, are eventually at the frontline of the battle. This means you need to be sure enough that they get all the necessary facilities and paid leaves as per the updated paid leave policies in the United States.
- Remote care delivery options: Remote care delivery could be a game-changer for the caregivers that are delivering care to the ones with the basic care needs in the daily chores. Remotely monitoring and care delivery can help caregivers save time, which can be utilized in managing care for severe clients.
- Use technology: Technology plays a crucial role in ensuring the overall safety of your clients and caregivers during this crisis. A home care management software with a Caregiver Pre-Screening feature can be a great idea to mitigate any chance of contamination. Caregivers should be screened for COVID-19 infection before they begin their shift.
When you focus on these aspects, your caregivers build trust in you, which eventually helps you to retain your experienced professionals and minimize churn rate.
Appreciate them. Tell the World that You are Proud of them:
Who doesn’t like feeling appreciated? You already understand the fact that caregivers are risking their lives just to ensure that the elderly get proper care and safety at their place.
This is enough to give them applause and public recommendation for all their hard work and dedication.
Appreciating your caregivers in front of the world, including your clients, boosts their morale and helps them feel secure in your organization.
Here’s what you can plan to appreciate your dedicated caregivers:
- Begin a caregiver-of-the-month program
- Start a newsletter that highlights your caregivers along with their stories
- Provide bonuses
- Reward them for their overtime and extra efforts while delivering care
- Organize a small program that focuses on appreciating your valued caregivers
The ones that are recognized for their hard work and dedication are the ones that perform exceptionally and eventually stay for a longer time with an agency.
Communicate and Provide Support
Many home care agencies struggle with establishing communication with their caregivers, which in turn affects their retention rates.
Make sure that you are clear with your expectations and communicate with your staff regularly regarding the same. Friendly reminders about the tasks and overall care delivery strategies can help in building long-lasting relationships with your caregivers.
You need to be available for your caregivers whenever they need any help. Answer their queries like a family member, provide support, and motivate them to be safe & successful while they are delivering care along with the potential risk factors.
Apart from this, it’s crucial to understand that caregiver burnout is natural and can be minimized with adequate help & support. Share tips and ways to deal with critical situations by prioritizing their physical and mental health.
These aspects, when considered by a home care organization, minimize the overall caregiver attrition rate and helps caregivers feel secure at your agency.
The Crux:
Home care agencies are undoubtedly facing diverse challenges while managing quality care delivery and ensuring the safety of caregivers & clients during the pandemic.
The surging demand of caregivers delivering personal care services along with increasing caregiver churn rate is a serious matter of concern for the ones that are known for their reliable non-medical care services.
Agencies should consider the aspects that we’ve listed here to ensure that their caregivers stay with them for a longer period.
Related blog posts:
8 Ways Home Care Software Improves Caregiver RetentionCOVID-19 Checklist for Caregivers