It’s National Home Care and Hospice Month, a time of year to honor and celebrate the millions of nurses, therapists, home care aides, social workers and other clinical professionals working in hospice and home healthcare. These are the folks who sustain an essential component of patient care with their drive, compassion and hard work, and CareerStaff is proud to join in the chorus of voices thanking them.
National Home Care and Hospice Month is held every November by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) to bring awareness to the “heroic caregivers” working in hospice and home health. And given the challenges of working in these environments — particularly since Covid-19 struck — that awareness could make a big difference in the lives and wellbeing of these professionals.
“To recognize their efforts, we call upon all Americans to commemorate the power of caring, both at the home and in their local communities, and ask them to join with the NAHC by celebrating November as Home Care and Hospice Month,” as the NAHC declares on the 2022 National Home Care and Hospice Month webpage.
Why National Home Care and Hospice Month Matters
Why does National Home Care and Hospice Month matter? Nurses, therapists, home health aides and social workers provide direct support to patients and their families. At a time when patient satisfaction, repeat business and referrals are more important than ever to sustain business and growth, taking the steps to keep these workers happy and thriving in their roles is a good idea for everyone involved.
The healthcare industry is also still suffering from clinical workforce shortages, especially in rural and remote areas. And, while many hospitals and health centers are starting to rebound, home health and skilled nursing organizations are still scrambling to retain their workers. As more care shifts to the home because of remote care, even more of these workers will be needed in the months and years to come.
Yet despite these difficulties, clinical organizations have a number of strategies to call upon when looking to boost their staff retention numbers, including:
- Establishing a positive corporate culture that supports and nurtures workers
- Offering more professional development opportunities
- Addressing the factors that cause stress, burnout and compassion fatigue
- Giving staff plenty of personal time with the help of backup contingency workers
> Don’t Miss: How to Increase Employee Retention in Healthcare with a New Leadership Strategy
Why Home Care Workers Are Essential for Veteran Care
It’s no accident that National Home Care and Hospice Month aligns with Veterans Day, observed every November 11 in the United States. After all, veteran care represents a major market for home health providers. And that relationship has only grown with the recent, sharp increase in remote care utilization brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many aging veterans who receive disability compensation are eligible for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits offered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These benefits cover assistance with everyday tasks like dressing, bathing, preparing meals and moving around the house — work frequently done by home health aides.
“Compensation payment amounts are based on the level of disability and there is no income or net worth requirement,” as Veterans Home Care CEO David Laiderman explained in a news release. Eligibility isn’t tied to overseas service or service-related disabilities and can extend to surviving spouses: “The benefit pays up to $2,050 for a single veteran and $2,431 for a married veteran,” he added.
“It’s widely known that the VBA pays Disability Compensation for those who suffered a service-connected disability for a disease or injury due to military service,” said Laiderman. “However, the Aid and Attendance benefit is not often publicized.”
For this reason, many veterans — especially those who are disabled, and over the age of 65 — are currently receiving care in nursing facilities that could be carried out more cost effectively in their home. And doing so would likely boost patient satisfaction, too, since almost four out of five people over the age of 50 prefer to age in place, according to a post-Covid poll from the AARP.
Celebrate Veterans Day and National Home Care and Hospice Month with a Workforce Upgrade from CareerStaff
If your agency is looking for help navigating veteran care, or if you’re seeking staff for your home health, hospice, or other long-term care facility, we’ve got the resources and the nationwide bench of clinical talent to meet your needs. Learn more about our workforce solutions here, or get the ball rolling by submitting a staffing request now.
And once again, Happy National Home Care and Hospice Month and Happy Veterans Day from CareerStaff Unlimited!