Recruiting, Training and Retaining Caregivers

7 Great Gifts You Haven’t Thought of For Your Caregivers

August 3, 2023/in Agency Operations, Recruiting, Training and Retaining Caregivers/by Bailey Anderson

As a home care agency owner, you are always looking for ways to show your appreciation to the caregivers on your team. Showing gratitude goes a long way in maintaining employee engagement and satisfaction. But have you ever considered unique gifts as tokens of appreciation? Thoughtful presents can often be an even more meaningful gesture than something small and generic – making it easier for employees to feel valued and motivated. Whether it’s acknowledging their birthday or recognizing an achievement they’ve achieved on the job, these 7 great gifts will surprise even the most seasoned of caregivers – with options that are both useful and thoughtful! Read on for some inspirational ideas that will make any caregiver feel appreciated.

1. A Personalized Mug:

Show your appreciation with a special mug featuring an uplifting message or image that speaks to the recipient’s unique qualities. For instance; you could make a mug with their name on it.

Etsy has lots of great personalized mugs! We found this one for only 12 dollars.

2. A Gift Basket:

Put together a special gift basket with all the caregiver’s favorite treats and goodies, such as tea, coffee, chocolates, or bath salts.

We recommend finding a basket from dollar tree or Walmart. It’s a good idea before you put the gift basket together to create a Google document that your staff can fill out with their favorite things. You can download our free caregiver’s favorite sheet here to have them fill out later.

This document will be a great resource to pass around the office to know everyone’s favorite treats!

3. Coupon For a Day Off:

We all know what every employee in America wants—and your caregivers are no different! If you are their boss, why not create a cute coupon for a Day Off that they can redeem this year? You could even start handing these out for your staff’s Birthday! The best part is- you don’t even have to buy anything!

4. A Hand Written Thank You Card:

Sometimes a thank you card coming from a boss with a list of their strengths is very encouraging and could be the best gift you could give your workers. The truth is some of your caregivers may not know you appreciate them. The only way your caregivers will know is if you tell them. But with a handwritten note, they will be sure to know that you see their hard work and appreciate them! Your note could look something like this:

Dear, _______

I appreciate all your hard work. I know caregiving can be hard, but it has been such a joy to watch you make a difference in people’s lives. I especially appreciate how you ____________. It is an honor to have you on our team. Thank you for all you do!

Sincerely,

________

Your caregivers will love a handwritten card even if it is free.

5. A Certificate For Their Favorite Restaurant:

Treat your caregivers to a special dinner at their favorite restaurant with a gift certificate. No matter what they say- Everyone loves to have free food! A thoughtful gift can go a long way! That’s why gifting a caregiver with a food gift card during holidays or special occasions is an ideal reward – one that both shows appreciation and provides great value. It allows them to purchase meals or snacks without any financial burden on themselves or their families

6. A Journal:

Caregiving can be a stressful job. Sometimes a journal with their name on it may be just what they need. Allow your caregivers to unload their thoughts and feelings by providing them with a journal or diary where they can write their thoughts down in private.

7. A Coffee or Latte:

Sometimes when a gift is personalized, it doesn’t even have to be big. A great way to show your caregivers you care about them could be as simple as a 5-dollar latte. You can just find out their favorite drink and bring it to them at work with a note that says “I appreciate all the hard work that you do.” Your caregivers are sure to love such a delicious treat with a sweet note attached.

Should I Really Buy My Caregivers a Gift?

The simple answer is yes. — As an owner of a home care agency, you know how important it is to find the right caregivers and keep them on your team. While worker retention can be an ongoing challenge, there’s one simple way to motivate your high-performing caregivers: buy them a gift! Not only does this show recognition for their hard work, but it also encourages loyalty toward your business.

Caregivers sacrifice a lot of their time and energy to take care of others, so it is important to show them our appreciation with thoughtful gifts. A great way to find the perfect present for your caregivers is by filling out a favorites chart ahead of time. This will give you some ideas of what they might want or need. If you’re still stuck, we’ve compiled a list of great gift ideas for caregivers. No matter what you choose, your caregiver will appreciate the gesture and know that you value their hard work. So, get out there and start shopping! And don’t forget to show your caregivers how much you appreciate them too – after all, they deserve it!

Thank you for reading. We hope this article gave you some helpful ideas on how to show your appreciation to caregivers. Good caregivers are hard to come by and hard to keep. So, take the time to show them just how much you appreciate all they do. If you’re looking for something that will really make a difference in someone’s life, consider gifting them with an experience or item that reflects their interests. A simple gesture will go a long way to a caregiver. Plus, just imagine how happy your caregivers will be once they know how much you care about them.

Remember: We at GEOH are always here for you if you need more ideas for your home care agency!

How to hire qualified and enthusiastic caregivers for your home health care agency.

August 3, 2023/in Agency Operations, Recruiting, Training and Retaining Caregivers/by Tom Bumgardner

Hiring the right candidates for your agency can be a tricky process. With all the resumes out there, how do you know which applicants are really qualified and enthusiastic? In today’s world, it is really hard to find people that want to work as a caregiver and don’t want to waste time or money on someone who may not be a good fit. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect candidate:

1. Make a job posting.

Start with an effective job posting. Make sure that it accurately reflects what positions you’re trying to fill and outlines the requirements and desired qualifications clearly. This will help attract more suitable candidates and cut down on unqualified applications. We recommend using sites like Indeed. This site will match quality candidates to your agency. You can check out Indeed here: Click Here.

2. Write a great list of questions

Be sure to ask questions during interviews that focus on relevant experience and skills, as well as enthusiasm and passion for the work they’ll be doing in your agency. It’s important to look for home health care professionals who really understand the needs of your clients and can provide compassionate, patient-centered care. If you do not ask the right questions to your caregiver before you hire them you run the risk of hiring someone who could represent your business poorly.

The questions could look like this:

1. How do you handle a difficult situation?

2. What experience do you have with caregiving or taking care of others?

3. Describe a time when you provided comfort and reassurance to a family in distress.

4. What strategies do you use to manage challenging patient behavior?

5. Explain how you keep family members informed about their loved one’s health status and changes in condition while maintaining the patient’s privacy and dignity?

6. Describe your approach when caring for someone with special needs.

7. How would you handle an unexpected change in a patient’s condition?

8. How would other colleagues describe you?

9. Why do you want to work in healthcare?

3. Network, Network, Network!

One idea to find great caregivers is to network with other Home Health care organizations. There may be an association of caregivers you could join or even a caregiver support group on Facebook. Quality candidates could be posting in these groups! Plus, as an added bonus you can see their Facebook page to see what their life is really like. To join these groups you will need to go to Facebook and search for “groups.” Then search for caregiver support groups. You can often find quality applicants through referrals or by inviting them to informational sessions and open houses.

4. Tell them the details of the job.

Let them know what the job will be and what it’s like to work with you. Don’t sugarcoat the duties and expectations of the job. Provide detailed information on what it’s like to work in your agency so that candidates know exactly what they’re getting into before signing on the dotted line. It will help with turnover if candidates know that the job is going to be hard up front. This will ensure you only hire professionals who are truly passionate about home health care and are genuinely excited to join your team. You definitely don’t want to hire and then take the time to train someone who isn’t going to stick around.

5. Provide extra training for your caregivers.

As you know, running a home care agency is very time-consuming. Often, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. We take the time to provide initial training for caregivers with the intention of providing ongoing training. Life gets in the way, we get busy and training falls by the wayside. Remember that communication should start before the first day. Make sure to call your new caregiver welcoming them to the team and answering any questions on what the first day will be like. This will ensure they actually show up on the first day.

Some ideas for continuing training after the first day could look like this:

* Online and in-person seminars on Home Health Care.

* Training on communication skills such as active listening, empathy, and compassion

* Courses on advanced patient assessment and symptom management for end-of-life care.

Provide continuing education for your team members. This will help ensure they stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies, so you can provide the best possible care. With continuing education, you’ll also be sure that your staff has the necessary qualifications to do their job effectively.

Hiring and keeping a great caregivers is essential in providing quality care to patients and their families. With the help of these tips, you’ll be able to find the perfect candidate and make sure they stay with your agency for years to come. When it comes down to it, having a knowledgeable, passionate team of caregivers is worth every penny! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start finding those ideal candidates!

Good luck as you search for the best possible candidate for your agency! Just keep in mind that great caregivers are not easy to come by but with some effort and dedication on your part, you can hire someone who will bring knowledge and compassion to your team. They will be the ones that will really be the face of your business so although the hunt may be challenging, it is important to find the right person!

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start finding those ideal candidates!

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Good luck!

Happy hiring! 🙂

8 Ways to Keep Your Caregivers from Leaving Your Business

May 16, 2023/in Agency Operations, GEOH News, Growing Your Agency, Recruiting, Training and Retaining Caregivers/by GEOH

As a Home Health Care agency owner, you know that having the right quality and quantity of caregivers on your team is key to keeping your business successful. As anyone in this industry knows, turnover can be very high – often leading to decreased satisfaction among both clients and staff. It’s important that you create an environment conducive to hiring and retaining personnel in order for your agency to succeed.

Not only are you looking for trustworthy individuals who will provide quality service to your clients – they must also stay with you long enough to ensure continuity within your agency. To help combat turnover in your agency, it’s essential that you take proactive steps to retain existing caregivers and prevent them from leaving

In this blog post, we’ll provide tips on how to keep caregivers from leaving your business so you can focus on growing your agency.

1. Give caregivers a break every once in a while.

Taking a break is an easy, cost-free way to help boost the morale of your caregivers. So make sure you let them take some much-deserved R&R! A recommended break time is 15 minutes every 3-4 hours. Encourage them to take a walk, call a friend, or eat a snack. This will allow them to have time to rethink or even refuel their bodies with food and water. By taking a break, your caregivers can come back refreshed and able to provide better care – creating an obvious win-win situation. You’ll be happy with their improved focus.

2. Let them know their work is appreciated.

Thank-you notes don’t have to be complicated or expensive – but they can make a big difference. Our previous blogs explored gifts for caregivers, an admirable gesture of appreciation no doubt. But, sometimes just recognizing their efforts with a heartfelt thank you letter goes further than any amount of money could ever do! A simple thank you can go an incredibly long way, with proven boosts in staff morale and better retention rates! Don’t forget: saying ‘thank you’ not only lets workers know that their efforts are noticed but also makes them feel valued and respected. To get started on creating your own heartwarming expression of gratitude, here’s our tried-and-true template:

Dear

_____,

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all of your hard work and let you know that it does not go unnoticed. Caregiving can be such a challenging job, but every day you are helping someone and making such a difference in their lives. It’s no small feat we know; it takes patience, resilience, and true dedication! Thank you for all you do. You’re awesome!

Sincerely,

___________

3. Provide proper training and support.

Providing proper training and support can be so important for retaining caregivers. There is no worse feeling than showing up to a new job and having no idea what to do. Make sure to have someone patient and kind when teaching your staff, someone who doesn’t mind showing them how to do things. Providing proper training and support could help someone stay with your agency.

4. Offer competitive wages and benefits.

Although this might not be feasible for every agency, having competitive wages or a bonus system might be a great way to handle retention. We know this may be hard for a lot of agency owners because they might not even be getting paid on time themselves, if this sounds like you, you may want to consider using GEOH so you can get paid on time and have more money available to your caregivers.

5. Give your staff a gift.

Sometimes a small gift for your caregivers can go a long way. You may want to consider giving your staff a gift. A cup of coffee from Starbucks, a customized cup with their name on it, and stuffing it with their favorite candy are some of our favorite ideas. Remember the key to this is customization make sure to get their favorite, not yours! Ask for their favorite candy and coffee order in advance so you can be prepared.

6. Respect their time off requests.

We’ve all been working somewhere where we would like a day off and your boss says no, or flat-out schedules you anyway. It’s no fun to miss your child’s baseball game, have to work when you’re sick, or have to stay working a schedule that is not feasible for you. When your workers request time off, honor their request the first time and then send them a note saying I am honoring your time off request for ______ and hope you have a restful day off. This may go a long way when you are competing against agencies that do not honor their time off requests.

7. Communicate well and often as the boss.

Communication is something that can make a workplace frustrating. If you have to change the schedule- send a text. If you make an office change, try sending an email. Just remember that you can’t over-communicate with your staff and they will appreciate your openness.

8. Consider allowing longer lunch breaks.

A longer lunch break can quickly seem like a luxury to someone who does not have a lot of time. Offering a long lunch break could be nice so your caregivers could grab lunch out, or take a moment for themselves, an added bonus would be nice if you could offer them a lunch break paid! This would be a good option for your agency to show appreciation to your caregivers if you could not afford to give them a raise.

The great resignation is something we have all been familiar with as agency owners. More than ever before, Caregivers are quitting their jobs to move into a new field or moving to a new agency. This makes keeping caregivers a huge problem for agency owners.

Most importantly, make sure to let your caregivers know you care. Showing that you appreciate their hard work will go a long way in making them feel like part of the team and make it more likely they will stick around through the good and bad times.

With the right mindset and by taking advantage of all the tools available to you today, you should have no trouble keeping your talented staff around for years to come!