New economic data indicates that the job market is growing at a steady rate, even if there are temporary ups and downs in the trend line. While this is a good thing overall for the U.S. and those of us that live there, it isn’t impacting everyone equally. Senior care is one of the areas where a strong economy is not necessarily a good thing.
The downside of a strong economy, according to a new report, is that the types of jobs like those provided for with nursing homes and caregiving services become less desirable. There are a variety of reasons why this happens. Some blame the fact that other jobs geared toward those with similar educational backgrounds can pay higher. This certainly is a contributor. If someone can apply to work at a fast food restaurant and make a dollar more per hour, they might just do that.
The reality is that this could have an impact on your family. Depending on where you live and what type of care you are looking for, it might be harder than normal to find a high quality caregiver to help your elderly loved one get through the day safely. Because of the fact that it is harder for non-profit organizations and publicly financed care services to keep their wages competitive, there’s less incentive for people to apply to these jobs. The hard work also has been cited as one of the primary reasons for a high turnover in this job.
A good economy might be taking caregivers away from the care business.
The bottom line is that not everyone is meant to be a caregiver. It is a hard job and it is often a thankless job. There can be long hours and it can be an emotionally difficult position. But that’s not why people come to this job. A good service should be identifying great caregivers and paying them well, rather than cycling through employees.
Should caregivers be paid more? Yes. This would attract more applicants to open positions. But if someone is pursuing a job as a caregiver because of the pay, they are not in it for the right reasons. Being a caregiver entails loving people and having a deep longing to help them stay safe and comfortable. It involves compassion and patience. This is not something that can be taught because of a larger paycheck.
Not all caregivers and not all services are prone to this issue. When selecting a caregiver to help your family, it’s helpful to know what kind of financial background they are influenced by. Not only will you have a better idea of how much you will be spending on senior care, but you will have a better concept of whether or not they will experience any trouble in the future. This way, you are more likely to select a stable caregiver that will be around for many years without care interruptions. This continuity of care might not seem like a big deal, but research shows that it has a profound influence on the mental and physical wellbeing of the seniors that are impacted by care. Stable care is much better for seniors, especially those that suffer from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.
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