Weathering the Perfect Storm

How to find and keep talented home health care workers

When a unique and rare combination of circumstances aggravates a situation, you get a perfect storm.  By this definition, the circumstances surrounding home health care could be described as a perfect storm increased demand for services combined with the pressure to attain and retain staff that can sustain such a draining work environment proves frustrating for employers. The following article will provide tips on how you can weather this storm and turn it into an opportunity for success.

INCREASING DEMAND
According to the National Association for Home Care, there are more than 7 million individuals in the United States in need of home health care nurses for treatment of acute illness, long term health problems, permanent disability, or terminal illness.  Other estimates put the number as high as 12 million people needing some form of home health care. 

 
There are now 4,500 franchised home care entities and the acceptance of home healthcare as an alternative to lengthy hospital stays, nursing homes and other inpatient treatments has undergone a steady growth rate of over 8% since 2000. The rate is predicted to increase to 10% through 2015.  In fact, the home health industry as a whole is projected to be the fourth fasting growing industry through 2018 , and from 2008 to 2018, total employment of home health aides is projected to increase by 50%.

The reason for the growth of the industry is multifaceted:

A. Aging population
o Baby boomers are getting older and approaching retirement, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, this post-World War II population made more than half of all doctor visits in 2001.
o The proportion of older age groups will grow faster than the total population between 2008 and 2018.  This is significant for the health care industry since older populations have more health problems than other age groups. There's a higher incidence of injury and illness and heal time is longer.

 
B. Shorter hospital stays
o Technology and improved medical care in hospitals is to credit for this.

C. Desire to receive care at home
o Studies show that nearly 90% of Americans 65 and older prefer to stay in their homes so as to preserve their independence, choice, and control over every day decisions.

D. Increased cost of inpatient care
o This not only pushes individuals paying for their own services to stay home, but also people receiving public aid as government policies drive the use of home healthcare over higher cost inpatient care.

MEETING DEMAND
As an employer in this burgeoning field, surely this increased demand comes as no surprise. But the question that remains to be answered is how are you going to find the staff to meet this demand? Equally important to ask is how are you going to keep this staff? In short, how will you weather the storm?

 "The demand for home care will far exceed the home caregiver resource supply. Whoever is able to hire and retain good home health care nurses. Whoever is able to hire and retain good home health care nurses will be successful."
- Gene Tischer, the executive director of the Associated Home Health Industries of Florida, Inc

Getting high-quality employees starts at the hiring process, but this process is not what it used to be. Employers really need to use all the resources at their disposal to seek out candidates, including new and emerging media and technology.

Consider these facts:

- 83% of Americans own cell phones and nearly half can access the internet with the phone (according to the latest findings from Pew Research Center). This means you can connect to more candidates with mobile-friendly websites, quick response codes that direct users to job listings, and text alerts informing candidates about upcoming opportunities.

- Videos which help candidates see what a true employee experience is like is also helpful. According to CareerBuilder internal data, job postings with video icons are viewed 12 percent more than postings without video.

In addition to reaching out to candidates in the most the latest manner, it's imperative to consider that with the high demand for their services, home health nurses can afford to be a little picky . Statistics show that you need to make yourself most desirable and in line to meet their expectations, which have changed over the years. The modern employee looks for a job that can meet the following expectations they hold :

1. Balanced lives
2. Partnerships with their employees
3. Personal and professional growth
4. Worthwhile contribution in their job
5. Sense of community at work

FIND YOUR SUCCESS
While it seems difficult to find and retain employees during this perfect storm, you do have the chance to capitalize on an opportunity for success. By using all the resources at your disposal and meeting candidate expectations, the storm doesn't have to be nearly as tumultuous.