Working in home care should be worth doing. Home health care and nonmedical home care are among the fastest growing professions in the United States. However, despite the growth, it’s estimated that one-fourth of home care workers are living in poverty, and that 4 in 10 will leave the occupation within a year. A new book published by Russell Sage Foundation titled, “Who Will Care for Us?” suggests that improving home care jobs could actually improve the quality and efficiency of the healthcare system as a whole. Here a few barriers that make this job difficult to do:
- Bad Image. There seems to be a bit of a negative connotation associated with home care. Many people look at it as elder care, or a form of babysitting. Education on what home care entails and on its necessity could help to change this image.
- Occupational rules. While regulations in the health care industry are necessary for patient safety, some create barriers to quality care. Certain rules prevent home care workers from doing simple tasks, like administering eye drops or insulin shots. This limits the level of care that workers can provide, and disincentivizes career growth. Changing regulations and providing opportunities for advancement within the scope of home care work could boost retention.
- Budget Issues. State and federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid fluctuate as policies change. Care providers have to balance quality care, compliance, billing, and reimbursement in order to stay in business.
How can DCI help overcome these barriers to support home care workers? Our software modules are designed to reduce agency overhead so you can recruit and retain excellent workers with competitive pay. Ask for a demo to learn how automation can help your agency focus human resources on what really matters.