Caregivers Pay Raise
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
February 1, 2016
Employees in the home care industry deserve higher wages than the industry standard.
In an op-ed published in the Home Care Technology Report, I argue that agencies should consider the sound business case for increasing the wages of caregivers. Caregiver pay should be paid more than the median $9.28/hr.Caregivers spend all day caring for others, they deserve to at least be financially cared for. The least an agency can do is pay their employees more than the caregiver minimum wage.In light of a January 2016 ruling by the Department of Labor, home care agencies can find a silver lining in the requirement to provide better in home caregiver pay.
1. Increased wages help attract new workers to the field. Caregivers earn a notoriously low median hourly wage, and increased pay will entice high-quality workers who may have previously looked elsewhere for work.
2. Better compensation improves the quality of caregiver applicants. The scope of candidates who may consider the home care industry widens when the pay increases. In turn, this helps agencies offer better care to patients.
3. Higher wages reduce costly turnover. A lack of caregiver consistency is also taxing to clients and their families. True companionship takes time and can't happen if caregivers are always turning over.
Read more of this perspective in the Home Care Technology Report.