HCAOA member agency Pansy Homecare and CEO Vicki Hoak were featured in the Hartford Business Journal.

As many homecare service companies struggle to retain employees due to low wages and job stresses, West Hartford-based Pansy Homecare Service LLC is trying to buck that trend by paying its workers more and fostering an environment of inclusiveness. And, the nine-year-old business — operated by the mother and son team of Pansy and Jonah Francis — is growing.

​The Department of Finance has notified California Gov. Gavin Newsom poor economic conditions have necessitated expedited increases to the minimum wage. Changes in the consumer price index (CPI) from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 require the state to bring forward by one calendar year, from 2024 to 2023, the date when the state must annually adjust the minimum wage rate.

​The Home Care Association of New York State, Healthcare Association of New York State and Iroquois Healthcare Association held an all-sector health workforce summit on May 26 – the first of its kind in many years – to leverage the collaborative participation of core partners across the continuum, including state and national leaders, healthcare providers and other organizations.

​HCAOA is looking for volunteers to serve on workgroups for the Home Care Workforce Action Alliance, which was formed in May by HCAOA and the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) to make recommendations to address the critical home care aide and nurse workforce shortage. Anyone interested in being part of this national industry effort should send their name, agency, and contact information to info@hcaoa.org no later than August 1. This work will entail zoom meetings from September-November, with final recommendations completed by December. These recommendations will be shared with members of Congress, federal officials, and other interested stakeholders.

​Lockton Affinity, home care insurance specialist and HCAOA member, is now offering a free online safety training course for caregivers. This interactive 45-minute course "Keeping Caregivers Safe at Work" addresses injury statistics, techniques to protect against workplace injuries, tips on what to do if an injury occurs, and more. Home care business owners can take the course themselves and use it with all of their caregivers—all at no cost.

​The California Department of Aging (CDA) is designing a statewide training and incentive program called California GROWs (Growing a Resilient and Outstanding Workforce). California GROWs will incentivize, support, and fund career pathways for the direct care home and community-based services (HCBS) workforce. The program seeks to improve the skills, job satisfaction, and retention of the direct care workforce while providing opportunities for advancement.

​The deadline to nominate a caregiver for the 2022 Caregiver of the Year Award has been extended to THIS FRIDAY, July 22 at midnight. HCAOA encourages EVERY ONE OF OUR 4,089 member agencies to nominate at least one caregiver so we can truly honor thousands of the best caregivers across the country who provide care and services at home. They deserve this honor for their compassion, commitment, and excellence!

​Last Thursday, Sami Asaad, partner at FordHarrison, LLP in Hartford and chair of its Home Healthcare Practice Group, presented a Lunch and Learn webinar program for the HCAOA Connecticut Chapter to discuss practical considerations in light of the legislature’s recent ban on non-hire agreements in home care.

​​HCAOA reminds all home care agencies to register their schedulers, care coordinators, case managers (whatever title you give these heroes!) for the “Home Care Schedulers and Care Coordinators: Solutions for Success” webinar on July 14. Agency owners and directors are also encouraged to participate to gain insight into what tools your schedulers need for success and how to make them feel valued.

​On May 4, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) automatically extending the work authorizations for certain renewal applicants listed on the USCIS website. Normally, the DHS regulations provide an automatic extension of 180 days from the expiry date stated on the Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The May 4, 2022, TFR increased the automatic extension from 180 days up to 540 days. The primary objective for the additional 360-day extension is to prevent gaps in work authorization due to the USCIS’ significant processing delays for work permit renewal applications.

​​Nominate a caregiver for the 2022 Caregiver of the Year Award to recognize all that our frontline workers do to keep people safe at home! The top caregiver will receive a $1,000 cash award and receive an all-expenses paid trip to the HCAOA conference in Orlando in September to be recognized in front of industry leaders – not to mention the appreciation they will have for you and your agency for nominating them for this prestigious national award!

​Last week, the HCAOA Illinois Chapter held a webinar with more than 100 members to review the regulatory changes that have been adopted for home services agencies, effective May 31. An extra thank you to Adam Guestow, Esq. of Hinshaw and Culbertson, and Mike and Joan O'Brien, Independence-4-Seniors Care, for their work in analyzing the regulations. In case you missed it, here are a few resources for members:

​In such an unprecedented time in the labor market, there’s so much information out there about the latest hiring and retention trends, it can be difficult to cut through all the noise. HCAOA Associate Member CareerPlug has copiled some of the most compelling hiring statistics that every employer should know in 2022 to shed light on what job seekers and employees are looking for and how to hire and retain the right people.

​Throughout the pandemic, it has been challenging to attract and retain employees in all industries. Home care agencies and skilled nursing facilities have not been immune to these challenges. In this webinar, Avi Singer, Founder and CEO of showd.me, will chat with HCAOA CEO Vicki Hoak and Mayer Majer, Insurance/Benefits Specialist of Leading Edge Administrators, to discuss tips to increase retention in high-turnover industries.

​HCAOA proudly sponsors the annual Caregiver of the Year Award, a national program that recognizes the top caregivers across the country who provide care and services at home, such as assistance with bathing, dressing, and medication reminders, to seniors and people with disabilities. Nominations for the 2022 award are now open, and all members are encouraged to submit a top caregiver.