In-home care agencies, the welfare of caregivers is essential as they tirelessly attend to the needs of those under their care, and the risk of burnout looms large. Agencies must implement effective strategies and solutions to combat this challenge and promote a supportive environment. In addition, recognizing caregivers’ unique challenges in seeking educational opportunities and promoting inclusive workplace environments are crucial for their retention and well-being.
To dive deeper into these, we reached out to Traci Lamb, CEO/Founder of CWN, an expert in the field, to shed light on these critical issues and offer valuable insights.
There are several strategies I would suggest:
Employers must recognize and understand that caregivers may have been “out of pocket” for a while during their caregiving tenure. They need to be patient and understanding of this and slowly let the person adapt back into the workforce environment. After being in “survival” mode for days, weeks, months, or possibly even years, it will take a while for them to transition back to “normal” thinking. Additional educational tools should be implemented and put into place to help caregivers transition back into employability.
– Traci Lamb
Offer caregiver benefits would be the #1 thing that needs to be done. Give them the option of having something other than burning through PTO or FMLA to care for their loved one. Offer “makeup” days to earn money back if they lose money caring for their loved one. Have EAP programs that cover caregiver burnout. Hire a specialist like Zack Demoupoulis, Elizabeth Miller, or others to help create caregiver benefits within organizations.
Leadership is everything in a workplace. Everything, good or bad, starts at the top. If the leaders are not on board, have the right attitude, and buy into what needs to be done, it will never be done for everyone else. All the leaders in the organization, no matter what level, need to be patient, understanding, and compassionate with caregivers. There are only 4 types of people in the world, as Rosalynn Carter stated: Those who are currently caregivers, those who have been caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers. Every person walking the planet today falls into one of those categories, so remember, even if you are not now or have never been a caregiver, it does not mean it will never touch you because, eventually, it will.
In light of Traci’s suggestions, it is clear that homecare agencies need to take a comprehensive approach to reducing caregiver burnout and improving support. Through effective leadership, accommodating workplace policies, and tailored support systems, agencies can create environments where caregivers flourish, benefiting caregivers and those they care for. We extend our thanks to Traci Lamb for her valuable insights on this. Overall, this Expert Q&A was refreshing. As much as we enjoyed reading it, we hope you will find it insightful.
Traci Lamb is the CEO/Founder of CWN - Caregiving Worldwide Network. She is a multi-award winning entrepreneur who has created the only global platform in mass media that specifically serves the underserved millions of people who care for a loved one at home, from the special needs child to the great-grandparent and everyone in between. We do that by providing a platform that educates, entertains, and provides resources from fantastic organizations in the healthcare industry.
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