Direct Care Worker Retention: Strategies for Success

This paper, written by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, documents the research and programs shown to increase the retention of direct care workers in long-term care.

Aging services providers and other long-term care stakeholders can use this report to learn more about the factors that lead to increased retention and about the various retention strategies and programs currently in place.

This report is organized into two main sections. Section III includes key research findings in the professional literature that show which factors lead to an increase in direct care worker retention. Section IV describes key retention strategies and programs shown to have a positive impact on direct care worker retention.

Both Sections III and IV cover the following areas:
• Competitive wages and health insurance benefits
• Culture change
• Workplace/job design, management practices and trained supervisors
• Comprehensive training
• Career advancement opportunities
• Importance of cultural competence

Section V includes additional tools and resources related to direct care worker retention.
Section VI is the list of references


http://www.directcareclearinghouse.org/l_art_det.jsp?res_id=300510

Defining Core Competencies for the Long-Term Care Workplace

Published in 2009, this paper was commissioned by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, and written by Mary F. Harahan and Robyn I. Stone, Institute for the Future of Aging Services.

The goal of this paper is to analyze the gerontological workforce literature, as well as initiatives launched by professional associations and providers, to determine progress in defining the competencies needed by the licensed long-term care workforce.

http://www.aahsa.org/uploadedFiles/IFAS/Publications_amp;_Products/Defining%20Core%20Competencies_FINAL.pdf

The Long-Term Care Workforce: Overview and Strategies to Adapt Supply to a Growing Demand

Published by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in October, this paper serves as a background document to OECD Health Committee work on the performance of long-term care systems.

It is also one in a series of studies undertaken by OECD as part of a project on Health Workforce and International Migration. The Health Workforce and International Migration project was co-financed by a grant provided by the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection of the
European Commission.

The paper provides:

• an overview of the long term care workforce
• suggestions for responding to the growing demand for long term care workers (training, retention and recruitment, redefining skill mix and tasks)
• policy challenges and future directions

http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2009doc.nsf/ENGDATCORPLOOK/NT00006876/$FILE/JT03271301.PDF

Investing in California's Direct Care Workforce by Increasing Geriatric Training Opportunities

Newly released by the SCAN Foundation (August 2009), this document contains a set of issue papers from experts across the US which focus on the role of direct care workers and opportunities for enhancing their skills. While the paper focuses on California, it will be of interest to anyone involved in geriatric education.

Issue papers include:

Direct Care Workers: Essential to Quality Nursing Home and Home Health Care
Effective Strategies and Exemplary Ongoing Training Programs for Direct Care Workers
Supporting Training for Direct Care Staff

http://www.thescanfoundation.org/documents/reports/Investing%20in%20California.pdf

Win a Step Up: Solutions for Better Care

WIN A STEP UP stands for Workforce Improvement for Nursing Assistants: Supporting Training, Education, and Payment for Upgrading Performance and is aimed at improving the situation of nursing assistants in the long-term care industry in North Carolina.

The site is divided into sections for direct care workers, supervisors of direct care workers, employer of direct care workers, and those interested in partnering with WINASTEPUP.

The Resources and Publications section contains reports and evaluations of the program, as well as the toolkit produced for the program entitled: “Improving the Situation of Nursing Assistants in Nursing Homes: A Practical Toolkit for Facilities Working to Improve Nursing Assistant Retention and Job Quality".

http://www.winastepup.org