Home care challenges

I'm proud of the work we do at Visiting Angels and we appreciate the trust families place in us to care for their loved one.  While our goal is to help seniors maintain their independence and remain in their homes as long as possible, sadly we can't help everyone that calls.  Staffing is and will continue to be the biggest issue.  We are constantly hiring and have invested heavily in recruitment as well as retention at the same time the demand for services is growing faster than our industry can keep up, there simply is not enough experienced and reliable caregivers.  I encourage families all the time to give us as much notice as possible; I understand that sometimes circumstances are beyond their control and they need help right away and while we do everything we can to meet that need too often we have to call one of our competitors and refer the case to them.  My advice for families is simple, don't wait until the point of crisis, a little bit of help can go a long way in keeping mom or dad at home.  In home care does get to the point where it is not the most cost-effective option, however a few visits a week can make a huge difference.