Home Care in 2021...continued

1/13/2021

What does the home care industry look like in 2021 and beyond? We continue our conversation with HCAOA Board members as they look into the crystal ball…

Jake Brown, Always Best Care

“As we leave the unprecedented year of 2020 in our review mirrors & roll into the year of 2021, the prediction on what it will take to be highly successful in the senior care industry in this upcoming year are as follows:

Handle the demand for care: This means a world class caregiver recruitment, hire & retention program, with a dedication to measuring & managing the process.
Demonstrate expertise in key areas of concern: Certifications, education/training & focus on key areas such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.
Utilize technology to ensure better care: Operational systems, devices, software, all with proof of ensuring better care for your clients.
Track the use of expertise, care techniques & use of technology to provide & demonstrate better outcomes: Real measured results with proof of better outcomes & reduced readmissions.

While this may sound like more of the same, excellent blocking & tackling of these key points will win the day.”

Bob Roth, Cypress HomeCare Solutions

“Affordability is one of the biggest challenges we have in home care. If Americans cannot afford to pay for homecare, our trade is unsustainable. With a change in the White House only days away, I am hopeful that with a new administration, we can work to solve this problem for the American people.

Our goal should be to keep the aging, frail, disabled and dying Americans independent and happy in the comfort of their homes. It’s what the American people want, it’s safer and preferred over communal living. Never mind the cost savings this would provide for the federal and State governments and of course the American people.

The State of Washington’s public state-operated long-term care insurance program ‘The Long-Term Care Trust Act’ could be a model that the Federal Government could follow. I am sure there are others, we can do amazing things if we just work on this together.”

Jennifer Tucker, Homewatch CareGivers

“With COVID-19 hitting our elder population, particularly those in communal living environments like nursing homes, hardest, families will continue to explore at-home options to care for their loved ones. This of course means more interest in home care services, and this trend is likely to continue into 2021.

As anyone in our industry knows all too well, what makes our service so meaningful are the caregivers we employ who connect deeply with our clients. The shortage of caregivers will continue to be the biggest threat to not meeting the demand for care, in 2021 and beyond. Home care agencies who will thrive this year must have caregiver recruitment and retention plans in place. Having a network of agencies under the HCAOA umbrella is incredibly powerful as we can learn and borrow ideas from others under the same pressure.

Bringing exceptional care to more families is an honor; we must be at our most creative and collaborative in order to deliver on the needs of our communities.”

Andrea Cohen, HouseWorks

“This year is all about investing in people and technology. 2020 demonstrated more than ever the need for ‘touchless’ strategies to serve the customer and the employees. Virtual onboarding, virtual visits and real-time information and interventions will be considered baseline.

Operators who develop strong strategic relationships with certified home health and other post-acute partners will have the capacity to handle higher complexity clients as hospital to home becomes the option of choice. Playing a leading role in emerging care delivery models is an imperative.

Every industry webinar talks about the need to create an engaged and empowered workforce – and now our survival depends on it. Every company without a specialized caregiver engagement focus will lose. Business models that address Caregiver wages and upskilling will win. A true investment in human capital is a must-have.”