Community Care Network Forms to Ensure No Senior Goes Without Care

Martha was distressed. Her small home care agency was fully booked and had to turn down requests from two new clients in desperate need of care.

Across town, Ryan’s agency was encountering staff illness limiting their capacity as well.

Both entrepreneurs lamented having to turn seniors away, so they organized a meeting to brainstorm solutions with other local home care providers.

Together with leaders from four other area agencies, Martha and Ryan formed an emergency coordination group called the Community Care Network.

Each agency documented available caregiver resources and remained in constant communication about current constraints. They now seamlessly refer new clients between themselves based on availability, ensuring all urgent home care needs can be addressed.

Just last week, the network coordinated immediate post-surgical care for a long-time client of Martha’s whose daughter had relocated to the area but not yet selected an agency. No gaps, no unmet needs.

The network also co-hosts quarterly caregiver training conferences featuring expert speakers on care best practices.

Across networks, caregiver knowledge and skills elevate.

For participating agencies, collaboration has increased care continuity.

According to Ryan, “We’re able to serve this community better together than any of us could have individually.”

Startups Team Up to Clarify Value of Non-Medical Home Care

Michelle and Jacob both recently launched non-medical home care agencies seeing major growth potential with the aging senior demographic shift. However, they noticed similar obstacles hampering both organizations’ progress.

“Too many potential clients think we just provide companionship and basic help with activities of daily living,” Michelle explained. “They don’t understand how we improve safety, enhance quality of life and enable seniors to remain at home.”

The competing startups decided to address the issue cooperatively by combining funds for a public awareness ad campaign highlighting their trained caregivers’ role.

“We educated on everything from fall prevention to medication reminders to providing dignified assistance with personal hygiene,” Jacob said. “And emphasizing no skilled nursing or medical care was required was important too.”

By proactively tackling misconceptions in the market, both companies report increased sales inquiries and expansions in their respective client bases.

“Educating expanded the entire pie instead of fighting for a small slice,” Michelle noted, “A rare win-win in business.”

The agencies plan to build on the successful awareness collaboration going forward.

Regional Agencies Establish Caregiver Recognition Day

For regional home care agency owners like Tasha Myers, caregiver appreciation and retention has become a priority focus across the industry.

“We face the same turnover and shortages of these essential frontline workers,” she said.

After networking with peers at a recent conference, Tasha spearheaded a multi-agency effort to boost caregiver morale through a new community recognition event.

Every Spring, home care agencies across four adjacent counties now jointly host an Outstanding Caregiver Awards ceremony. Care recipients and family members submit nominations and moving stories of extraordinary service, compassion and dignity.

Ten awards are presented, alongside a keynote speech extolling the life-changing support these men and women provide.

Entire communities have embraced celebrating exemplary caregivers.

Mayor proclamations declaring it “Caregiver Appreciation Week” are also increasing.

For Tasha, the collaboration delivers valuable continuity and retention dividends.

“Caregivers feel truly valued through this special cross-agency effort,” she said. “And that inspires them to provide the best care every day.”