Strategic Workgroups

Direct Care Worker Employer

Workgroup leader:

Dennis Sonnenberg, The British Home Community

Goals

This workgroup is designed especially for those who employ or work with direct care workers (homecare workers and staff at long term-care facilities and hospitals). This workgroup will address barriers, such as inconsistent training, to a stable and efficient direct care work force and identify ways to recruit the best possible workers to meet the long-term care needs of the area.

Members of this workgroup have redirected their initial efforts in order to take best advantage of the collaborative efforts of Aging Well and have the largest impact on the community.

Nationwide, there are concerns that an impending shortage of direct care workers will cause a crisis in long-term care. Efforts of this workgroup have focused on recruiting and retaining high quality direct care workers to meet the long-terms care needs of greater Lyons Township. A targeted recruitment effort will incorporate a print media campaign and utilize a new Web site. The workgroup will also hold a recruitment open house to invite potential caregivers and others who might be interested in exploring the opportunities available to them in the growing field of professional caregiving and facility support.

Accomplishments

• Researched existing career ladder and apprenticeship models for direct care workers
• Identified methods to increase the recruitment of direct care workers
• Developed recruitment campaign for professional caregivers

Strategic
Workgroups

Central Access Point

Community Outreach

Direct Care Worker Employer

Isolated Older Adults

Planning for the Future

Transportation