Today’s caregivers face many workforce challenges – from low wages to burnout – but new data from HHAeXchange shows that, despite these challenges, they are passionate about what they do and the impact that they have on clients.
“Individuals go into the role of being a caregiver, normally because they have a passion for helping other people,” HHAeXchange President Stephen Vaccaro told Home Health Care News. “They recognize the value that it’s bringing and how fulfilling that could be, and that becomes an area they want to move into. It’s a difficult job, so you must be passionate about it.”
Founded in 2008, New York-based HHAeXchange is a home care management software company focused on the Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) population.
About 60% of the 4,000 caregivers surveyed said that positively impacting their patients’ health and wellbeing is the biggest motivator for their work. Additionally, 57% of caregivers reported taking extra time to record patient observations after each visit, motivated by the knowledge that it could improve their clients’ care.
Moreover, 91% said the relationships they form with the people they care for increase their job satisfaction.
“That was a 17% increase from our survey last year,” Vaccaro said. “I think it speaks to that human bond that individuals form with each other and how important and special that is. That’s what matters to caregivers at the end of the day.”
Another important finding from the survey was caregivers’ interest in receiving professional training as an additional resource to improve their job satisfaction and longevity. Specifically, caregivers said they would be interested in receiving training on reducing stress, understanding how to treat patients with specific illnesses and using additional medical equipment.
“When taking care of an individual, it’s not always easy to focus on yourself,” Vaccaro said. “Training and strategies for interacting with the client’s families or dealing with different illnesses or medical equipment go a long way in helping caregivers do their jobs better. Because ultimately, that’s what’s most important to them. This goes a long way in retaining and bringing more workers into the field. Pay and benefits can’t always be the answer; it has to be a fulfilling job.”
Unsurprisingly, survey data also showed that 34% of respondents found pay to be the most challenging aspect of being a caregiver.
“Are caregivers going to be paid relative to the value they bring? Sadly, no,” Vaccaro said. “The value that they bring is so immense. Many of these individuals would not be able to live their lives at home without these caregivers. You can’t put a dollar amount on that. However, we need to work together as stakeholders in the industry to elevate the role of the caregiver. The industry is evolving, and the stakeholders are beginning to understand the value and importance of caregivers. That needs to continue.”
