Many job seekers have the misconception that working in home health care leads to limited career opportunities. Because of this, few job seekers are interested in pursuing home health care roles and as a result, the industry is projected to see a shortage of 151,000 paid care workers by 2030.
One way to change the perception of working in home health care and attract top talent is by outlining defined career paths. To support these career paths, you agency needs to provide employees with the tools and resources they need to grow, including continuous employee training.
When it comes to employee training, there are many options available. Below we’ve outlined several examples of home health care agencies that have strong employee training programs in place, to help your team generate similar ideas.
Senior Helpers
Caregivers at Senior Helpers complete continuous employee training to ensure they provide superior home care and create an great experience for all Senior Helpers clients. All caregivers have the opportunity to participate Senior Helper University, an ongoing learning program and receive credits toward official Senior Helpers Certification.
Caregivers who participate complete a variety of training courses, focused on key areas such as: understanding fall risk factors, food preparation and safety, and understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia. Through the program, not only do employees become stronger caregivers, but they can also increase their salary based on certification level.
Brightstar Care
At Brightstar Care, franchisees come from a variety of backgrounds and rather than needing direct healthcare experience, Brightstar Care looks for people who are leaders and show compassion. And since the brand’s franchisees and employees often started out in a different industry, Brightstar Care makes it a top priority to provide training that sets all involved up for success.
On the franchisee side, Brightstar Care provides franchisees with pre-opening training and certifications, as well as ongoing post-opening support. On the employee side, Brightstar Care sees all employees as critical to the organization and staff training is key to their success. For high-level operational roles, these employees attend boot camp, where they learn about how to manage the visit. BrightStar Care also hosts two annual conferences, one of which is geared toward franchise owners and the other focused on individual location staff. The conferences help employees connect with one another and learn the latest industry best practices.
Comfort Keepers
At Comfort Keepers, employees have their pick of more than 2,000 online courses, in several health-related focus areas. And Comfort Keepers’ continuing education program enables employees to earn more than 70 professional certifications. As employees complete courses and certifications, they can have opportunities to advance in their careers.
In addition to online certifications, Comfort Keepers has a dedicated learning and development department, with the intention of providing all employees with knowledge and expertise to do their jobs well and excel in their careers. Comfort Care locations across the country have dedicated training rooms, equipped with all resources needed for employees to complete training. And the training curriculum is continuously updated, to stay up-to-date with the ever-changing healthcare landscape.
Continuous training is one of many hooks your home health care business can use to capture the attention and interest of quality job seekers. For additional tips on building your best team, read our resource, “The Home Health Care Hiring Guide.”
