You may have heard the term “The Great Resignation” over the last couple years. This has come to be the term used to describe the huge number of people that have left their jobs, or the workforce altogether, since the beginning of the pandemic. Undoubtedly, you’ve seen the “Help Wanted” signs in a lot of business windows just like I have. It’s one thing to be short on staff at a fast food restaurant or a convenience store, but when it comes to senior care, being short on staff can be detrimental to people’s health and safety.
But now that we as a society know that we need a lot more staff coming into the care industry, what are we doing about it?
That’s one of the big questions that policy makers and community organizations are asking themselves right now.
One in four people stated that they were personally impacted by a shortage in the senior care business. The only other type of business that reported a higher rate of impact was the retail industry, where 35 percent of people stated that they were personally impacted. And when it comes to delays in getting the needed care, more than 65 percent of people reported that they were unable to gain access to senior care because of staffing shortages.
Part of the reason why this is happening is because of caregiver burnout. The pandemic was taxing on everyone, and those that were on the frontlines providing assistance to others were placed under the greatest amount of stress. Unfortunately, a lot of people who were very good caregivers decided that they could no longer work in these kinds of conditions. This placed even more strain upon the caregivers that stayed, making being a caregiver even that much tougher.
Some of this is the unique nature of the pandemic. It was something that none of us had ever experienced before. It was hard all around and required us to live our lives in a different way. For many, that exposed some of the stressors in their lives that had otherwise been covered up.
In other situations, the shortcoming of some employers was uncovered. Yes, the pandemic was a stressful, terrible situation. But many employers in the care business have not had the same issues that others have faced. A strong employer takes care of its employees. Although the pandemic created situations that even the best employers couldn’t avoid, many senior care services took steps to protect both their employees and the people that they serve.
Paradise In-Home Care takes great pride in our ability to serve our community, but we also know that our staff are an important part of our success. We take great strides to hire and retain the best caregivers, and in turn, the community that we serve gets the best senior care possible.
If you’d like to learn more about in-home care and how we might be able to help your family, please feel free to get in touch. One of our caregivers would be happy to talk with you.
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