End-of-Year Message from HCAOA Executive Director Vicki Hoak

​“Never let the things you can’t do stop you from doing what you can.” – former President Ronald Reagan
 
The past two years have been hard. 2020 hit us with the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 witnessed us working hard to navigate a new normal and come back. However, you, and the invaluable work you and your staff do for older adults and their families, and individuals with disabilities continually inspire the Home Care Association of America. We have walked alongside many of your organizations and have watched as you have fully embodied the quote above.

​We are committed to strengthening you - our members - through advocacy, education and research for the advancement of home care. Though COVID is not gone yet, the opportunities for and recognition of our industry abounds now more than ever before.

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The demand for home care has grown and will continue to grow as adults age, need care, and seek to remain at home. Our industry has been strained by the many effects of the pandemic – difficulty hiring and retaining staff, changing policies and mandates, growing demand for vaccinations and reciprocal vaccine hesitancy from staff, wage increases luring staff away, child care challenges and the list goes on.
 
How can our industry rise above these challenges and succeed in the upcoming year?
First, we must remember the value of our work and convey that to others. Home and Community-Based Services are needed, valuable, and deserve to be recognized for the ways our organizations and staff support the nation’s aging population. The Home Care Association of America pledges to listen to our members and provide a strong, unified voice to advocate for issues that matter, like increasing access to quality home care through reimbursement and supporting a robust home care workforce.
 
How will you grow awareness about your organization’s worth in your community?
Second, we must do the right thing. To be seen as quality care, home care organizations must provide excellent care and operate with trustworthy business practices. As a member, you signed the HCAOA’s Code of Conduct, which provides a framework of core values and person-centered standard of care.
 
As HCAOA advocates for members, how will you ensure your business practices meet or exceed standards to build your credibility – both in your community and with your legislators?
Finally, we must work together to strengthen the HCBS industry. HCAOA diligently works to support and strengthen you with practical resources to enhance your operations, your margins and improve training and quality within our industry.
 
Many of you believe strongly in this point, which has been evidenced in the significant growth of HCAOA by more than 500 new members this year. We thank you for your trust and pledge our commitment to each of you as we provide research, education, advocacy and a leading voice for home care this year.
 
As we recount the challenges of 2020-2021, may we do our best to drive our industry forward and be challenged by former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s words,
 
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” – former President Lyndon B. Johnson

Click here to learn more about how HCAOA seeks to build members up and better position the home care industry for success in 2022 with data-informed insights and information members can use in the Winter 2021 issue of HCAOA’s The Voice.