Long-term client/caregiver relationships are special

Twenty-six years is a long time in any job – but it’s especially remarkable in the case of Naomi, a caregiver in Mansfield, Ohio.  

She has been working with the same client, Monica, for 26 years.  The client, who has developmental disabilities and is nonverbal, was a teenager when Naomi started working with her and is now 45 years old.  

They have developed standard routines. For example, Monica always puts her arms out for a hug after Naomi helps her get ready for bed. In the summer, they enjoy making trips to the pool.  

“The longer you are with someone, the more they become like family,” Naomi said.   

Turnover is common in at-home care, but Help at Home is working to change that 

Nationally, the turnover rate for caregivers hit 77 percent in 2022 – which means that your average homecare company is needing to hire the equivalent of ¾ of their staff every year just to stay even. (If they are growing rapidly, they have to hire even more!)  At Help at Home, however, the turnover rate is about half the national average.  

Caregiver retention matters for many reasons:  

• Caregiving work is personal – and it can be stressful for clients when it’s always someone new showing up to fix their meals or to help them in the bathroom.  
• Caregivers can be more impactful when they see a client over time. That way they can notice even subtle changes in health, cognition, appetite, or mood. 
• Turnover raises costs and decreases efficiency. As with any business, recruiting and training costs money – so reducing turnover helps keep healthcare costs in line and make at-home care an affordable option.   

Help at Home has worked to develop a culture of “caring for the caregiver” – because the company has found that turnover is lessoned when caregivers feel supported, appreciated and prepared for their work.  

Naomi had previously worked at a nursing home, so she had a good idea of the kind of work she would be doing in home caregiving. Monica was one of her first three clients. Now Naomi works with Monica full time and even takes some night shifts.  

The flexibility of the job is one of the things Naomi loves the most, she said. Not only is the schedule itself somewhat flexible, but the kind of work varies from season to season and shift to shift. In the summer, she may take her client to the pool. In the winter, they may go to a movie. Day shifts often include fun activities, while night shifts are quiet and productive as Naomi does housework while Monica sleeps. 

But for Naomi, the best part of all is the knowledge that she has made a difference in someone’s life.  

She knows that her client is living a full and rich life that wouldn’t be possible without a caregiver. She even goes horseback riding!  She really enjoys going to a playground and going down the slide. 

Naomi said she enjoys making these experiences possible for Monica. “I love my client and I just like taking care of her,” she said.