Indiana's home caregiver turnover rate is high. New statewide program works to provide support

A home care provider advocacy group says caregivers in Indiana are struggling with poor mental health and economic hardships, which has led to a high turnover rate in the industry.

The Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care (IAHHC) launched a new workforce program to support employees and improve caregiver retention.

C.A.R.E Connect, which stands for Creating Action and Resources for Employees, is a program through the IAHHC. The program will consist of one-on-one counseling sessions, trainings and webinars. Employees will also be assigned a consultant based on their region, who will help get them access a variety of community resources.

More than half of caregivers rely on public assistance and 15 percent lack health insurance according to a MissionCare Collective report. The field is also physically demanding on the workers which could cause health challenges.
 

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IAHHC workforce development director Tim Scully said the program's goals are to help connect employees to resources and help lower the caregiver turnover rate in Indiana.

“Our turnover rate for direct caregivers in Indiana is 77 percent, which is very high,” Scully said. "So anything we can do to bring that number down would be obviously beneficial to the industry.”

C.A.R.E. Connect is available to workers whose agency has a membership with the IAHHC.

Timoria is our labor and employment reporter. Contact her at tcunningham@wfyi.org.