If you own or manage an AFC licensed home, you know the pain of trying to fill staff openings. Not only may the cost of overtime be hurting your budget, the morale of your staff who are working tirelessly on extra shifts may be decreasing at your adult foster care community. If you are feeling like you can’t take it anymore, don’t throw in the towel just yet.

Staffing options to consider:

1. Job Corp of Grand Rapids and Detroit

Job Corps is an excellent option for an adult foster home provider looking for young adults trained in providing care. Job Corp education not only includes the skills necessary to work at a residential assisted living facility, but also soft skills such as teamwork, attitude, dressing appropriately, and showing up on time for scheduled shifts. These candidates can work independently, and the federal background check is already complete. The pay rate is established by the AFC owner. To start the interview process, call 800-733-5627 Option 2.

2. Bethany Christian Services

Bethany Christian Services is known for their long-standing support of refugees from around the world. Many of the refugees are healthcare workers who are motivated to find stable employment in senior care or as a care provider in the United States. Bethany establishes the potential candidates work permit and teach English as a Second Language to help them communicate better. To start the interview process for staff candidates in West Michigan, call 616-710-9430.

Reduce your staff frustration

Finding staff candidates for employment is frustrating, and the high costs of hiring platforms and the headache of no-shows during interviews can be overwhelming. Contacting Job Corps and Bethany Christian Services may be a new option to find staff to work in your facility.

But what about staff retention?

Caregiver staff turnover rates for last year ranged from 63% to 87% in the Midwest for home care businesses. That’s quite a range, but where do you measure up?

Your biggest expense should be payroll, not the high cost of replacing caregivers working in your adult residential homes.

Are you ready to fix that?

Care Provider Solutions recently had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Sabrina Starling, the author of “How to Hire the Best,” about simple steps to hiring the best. Here are some steps to retain the best:

• Know your staff and what motivates them. In a time where finding caregivers is hard and turnover is high, getting to know your staff can help increase staff retention at your senior living or residential assisted living facility. Knowing your caregivers, what makes them tick, and what motivates them, gives you the opportunity to reward and gift in a way that matters.  Download your free “Staff Retention” resource.
• Offer referral incentives to your A Players. A Players tend to hang out with A Players. An incentive will encourage them to suggest they join your team.
• Meet weekly for one on one meetings with your staff to discuss weekly high points, low points,  focus for the week and what support the staff needs. Brene Brown states, “We have to be vigilant about creating a culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard and respected”. Meeting weekly for 30 minutes for a 1 on 1 will help retain your caregivers long-term.

What can I do next?

Finding and keeping caregivers is challenging, but it can be easier. Care Provider Solutions can show you how with their Hiring & Retention System. Learn in bite-size pieces and apply your knowledge immediately in your business.

Contact Care Provider Solutions today for a free one-on-one consultation about what has worked and is not working in your hiring and retention system. After that, we will present a solution to your hiring woes. Then, you can decide if you want to start seeing results.

It’s time to stop the crazy cycle of finding, hiring, and replacing staff. There is no need to struggle anymore. Find that peace of mind by contacting Care Provider Solutions, your adult foster care system specialist today to decrease your caregiver turnover rate.