Workforce challenges have always existed in long-term care, but never to the crisis-level extent they do now. Hope is on the horizon, however, according to senior living experts.
This week’s 2022 Argentum Public Policy Institute and Fly-In — a three-day senior living advocacy effort focused on COVID-19 relief and workforce solutions — looked at short-term and long-term solutions to address workforce crisis.
“Just look at the demographics,” Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Maggie Elehwany told McKnight’s Senior Living, pointing to the baby boomers, now aged 57 to 76, and especially the oldest ones, who will start presenting great demands on the industry soon. “This is a crisis today and will be a crisis tomorrow.”
Workforce challenges and solutions carried through several sessions of the fly-in, as discussions centered on meeting the needs of residents and keeping the doors open. Immigration reform, talent pipelines, career paths, apprenticeships and career ladders were among the major workforce talking points during the Public Policy Institute.
Argentum President and CEO James Balda told McKnight’s Senior Living that although there is a sense that workforce challenges may improve to some degree in the short term, the challenge is long-term for senior living.
“It’s going to be an uphill battle,” he said, adding that on a positive note, lawmakers now, after two years of the pandemic, have a better understanding of the senior living industry and its needs. “The long-term engagement we’re doing now to develop relationships will help on workforce and affordability issues.
“It’s a work in progress.”
Employee engagement
When it comes to recruitment and retention, Elehwany said, it’s not about wages any more, because most operators have increased wages to be competitive. The competition, however, has expanded, with senior living and care providers competing with the hospitality and food service industries for the same pool of workers.
The key, speakers agreed, is capturing workers quickly, bringing them into the industry and meeting their needs. With a predominantly female workforce, providers need to be creative to meet those needs, which could include offering childcare, flexible hours or even housing.
“The first 100 days of a new employee’s tenure are critical for assisted living,” Elehwany said. “If you keep them within the first 100 days, you’ve got a much better shot at keeping them within the facility.”
Employee engagement is crucial, she added. Giving workers opportunities to interact with residents — whether calling bingo on a Tuesday night or participating in social activities — and providing a career path can go a long way in retaining workers.
“We’re taking the approach of looking at things we can do if we can’t afford to pay more wages, to creatively get individuals engaged, to show them their value and the great work they do, and get them engaged with residents and have a positive experience and show them a path forward,” Elehwany said.
Workforce development
Although a variety of federal healthcare workforce development programs already exist through the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Department of Labor, assisted living often does not qualify for those programs.
Along with accessing existing workforce programs, speakers talked about encouraging community colleges, universities and health education centers to attract younger workers to career paths into the healthcare industry in general — and the senior living industry in particular.
Argentum has called for passage of the Safeguarding Elderly Needs for Infrastructure and Occupational Resources (SENIOR) Act, which would include a $10 billion sustainability fund similar to the Provider Relief Fund and would establish $1.25 billion in federal grants for workforce development efforts.
