April 1, 2020 Washington, DC — The coronavirus pandemic highlights a well-documented, ongoing challenge in long term care: recruiting, training and maintaining workers, particularly those on the front-line. How are LeadingAge’s nonprofit members, who provide services in a range of long-term care settings, from nursing homes to assisted living, home health to hospice, facing this challenge now? Head on, with new strategies that ensure the well-being of older adults in members’ care, while also providing additional support to staff during this public health crisis.

“I admire our members’ calm, caring, and thoughtful approach to managing this unprecedented situation and its impact on their staff. Our members continue to serve older adults, as well as their employees, with compassion and dedication in this unprecedented environment,” said LeadingAge President and CEO, Katie Smith Sloan.

Click on the hyperlinks below for more details on each of these member initiatives. To speak any of the LeadingAge members, contact our media team:

• Reassigning Idled Staff to Crisis Line/Institute on Aging/San Francisco/CA:
  • Operates The Friendship Line, the only accredited crisis line for people aged 60+.
  • With call volume rising, Institute set up call operators to work from home.
  • Reassigning staff from other departments whose workloads have slowed down to serve the crisis line.
  • Plans investment in a systems expansion to handle the Line’s demands and provide employees the necessary home equipment.
  • Hiring more operators and shortening the training period.
• Bonuses for All Full-Time and Part-Time Workers/St. Ann’s Community/Rochester/NY:
  • On Mar. 27 gave approximately $400,000 in appreciation bonuses to 875 employees, all full-time and part-time workers.
  • Full-time workers received $500 and part-time workers received $250. Senior managers are excluded from the bonus.
  • Provides complimentary food to all workers while on duty.
  • Uniform and dress code for all employees are relaxed.
• Creating New Job Position to Reduce Burden on Frontline Staff/Gurwin Jewish Family of Healthcare Services/Commack/NY:
  • Created multiple new positions called “resident care coordinator.” These employees supplement the work of CNAs—duties such as making beds, delivering trays, and answering phones.
  • Has generated interest through broad outreach. Screens applicants first by phone to help expedite hiring.

We represent more than 5,000 aging-focused organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we address critical issues by blending applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building. We bring together the most inventive minds in our field to support older adults as they age wherever they call home. We make America a better place to grow old. For more information: www.leadingage.org