Education Pathways for Direct Care Workers:
Tools for Recruitment, Retention and Worker Satisfaction
Jessica Jones, Outcomes Manager, CareAcademy
Over 4.5 million direct care workers provide daily support to people with disabilities and aging adults needing long term services and supports. As our population continues to age, and as the ability and availability of family care continues to fall short, the struggle to fill and maintain direct care positions and stabilize this essential workforce will continue. To learn more about strategies to better address these challenges, CareAcademy conducted a survey in August/September 2021 of 1,500 direct care workers nationwide to assess their educational and career aspirations.
Survey participants were asked about their educational aspirations; their responses provided insights on caregivers’ interest in pursuing further education, the barriers they face in doing so, and the role they would like to see their employers take in promoting workers’ educational attainment. An important component of the study was learning the impact that employer investment in worker education might have on recruitment and retention and worker satisfaction. The presentation will discuss key findings from the report and how CareAcademy plans to provide tools to home care provider organizations that can help open new doors for direct care workers to advance their careers and thus, strengthen the workforce.
Link to the survey report - https://careacademy.com/caregiver-education/
About the Speaker:
Jessica Jones, Outcomes Manager at CareAcademy, oversees the design and implementation of CareAcademy’s processes for measuring caregiver and care recipient outcomes. As an experienced long term care researcher, she is passionate about linking better quality care for older adults to the services that lend them and their families the support needed to better age in place. Prior to CareAcademy, Jessica worked for RTI International, an independent, nonprofit institute that provides research, development, and technical services to government and commercial clients worldwide. She was assistant project manager and analyst for the evaluation of a CMS nursing facility initiative focused on capacity-building interventions to reduce avoidable hospitalizations—a model that impacted residents and staff in over 250 facilities across eight states. Jessica holds an
undergraduate degree in math and political science from Emory University
TO ACCESS THE MEETING:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://umassboston.zoom.us/j/92460122478
Meeting ID: 924 6012 2478
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,92460122478# US (Washington DC)
+13126266799,,92460122478# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 924 6012 2478
Find your local number: https://umassboston.zoom.us/u/aqrvoH6sZ