The results are in! Creating a Legacy of Care Mentorship Program helps reduce caregiver turnover.
The Community Health Care Services Foundation, Inc. (CHC) and its affiliate, the NYS Association of Health Care Providers (HCP) implemented a peer-to-peer mentoring program pilot at several home care agencies throughout New York state starting June 1, 2020. The pilot program concluded on May 31, 2021.
The peer-to-peer mentoring program was designed to promote personal and professional growth opportunities by partnering experienced caregivers who want to share their knowledge and skills with newly hired caregivers, with the goal of decreasing caregiver turnover rates in the first 90 days of employment—the time frame with the highest level of turnover in home care.
Key Findings
The pilot program found that caregiver turnover rates of employment (pilot vs. non-pilot agencies) show that non-pilot agencies, those without mentorship programs, had a 170% higher caregiver turnover rate in the first 90 days of employment as compared with non-pilot agencies during the research period.
What Does This Mean?
According to the United States Department of Labor the growth in the need for home care workers is projected to be 34 percent. Tools are needed to significantly increase home care worker recruitment and retention.
In announcing the findings of the Creating a Legacy of Care Mentorship Program, Kathy Febraio President and CEO of HCP and CHC said:
“I am so pleased to shine a bright light on a recruitment and retention tool that has shown that it makes a difference for the dedicated and compassionate workers in the home care system.”
Febraio continued, “Policy makers across the country have long been grappling with how to address recruitment and retention in home care. We have been pleased to discuss with lawmakers in New York and home care colleagues the results of the Creating a Legacy of Care Mentorship Program. The home care system has long been facing a recruitment and retention crisis.
She concluded, “Our mentorship program can make the difference in increasing caregiver satisfaction. The mentorship program increased the cohesiveness between the home office and their aides as well as an increase in cohesiveness among and between home care workers who, in the past, have often felt isolated.”
More information about the Creating a Legacy of Care Mentorship Program can be found on the CHC website.
About Community Health Care Services Foundation
CHC, an affiliate of the New York State Association of Health Care Providers, Inc. (HCP), is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) education and research foundation dedicated to servicing home care organizations and their employees. CHC offers variety and value, offering a wide variety of affordable educational programs for all types of home care employees. Through its grants projects, CHC provides essential information and services that enhance the quality of care, provider efficiency and the cost-effective delivery of home and community-based care services.
About New York State Association of Health Care Providers
The New York State Association of Health Care Providers, Inc. (HCP) is a statewide trade association representing the full spectrum of home and community-based care providers through information, advocacy, and education. HCP represents licensed home care services agencies, certified home health agencies, hospices, fiscal intermediaries, and related health organizations. Through a strong network of regional chapters and an active State office in Albany, HCP is a primary authority of the home health care industry. For more information, please visit www.nyshcp.org.
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