The home care industry is booming and creating jobs faster than any other industry in America. In a recent report by the Bureau of Labor and statistics, over 21,000 jobs were added in July alone. The same report, however reported that the industry had lost 3,500 caregivers. The Activated Insights (formerly Home Care Pulse) Benchmark report has indicated that there's more than 65% turnover in home care every year. 
Digging deeper, a surprisingly high number of caregivers leave their jobs in the first 90 days. There are many reasons for this and here are a few of the big ones:
- New caregivers receive a relatively small amount of training and then don't feel ready when they start their job
- A lot of agencies don't provide much support to new caregivers
- Some of the older and disabled people who receive home care services are unpleasant people. It may not be their fault and may instead be a side affect of their aging or disability struggles
- It can be lonely
- Sometimes the homes of older and disabled people aren't very tidy and even smell bad
10 Essential Steps to Improve 90-Day Caregiver Retention
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Daily Phone Call | A care coordinator or the agency owner should call the caregiver every day during their first two weeks, then at least twice in the 3rd week, and once a week thereafter. |
| 2. Structured Orientation and Onboarding | Introduce caregivers to the company’s principles, customer expectations, and operating procedures through a comprehensive onboarding program. Early support reduces doubts and lays the groundwork for long-term satisfaction. |
| 3. Early Points of Contact for Communication | Conduct several check-ins during the first week to address urgent concerns. For instance, a brief phone conversation after their first shift offers reassurance and an avenue for feedback. |
| 4. Role and Client Familiarity | Match caregivers carefully with clients, focusing on compatibility. Communicate each client’s care plan clearly to increase caregiver confidence and reduce risk. |
| 5. Cycles of Performance and Feedback | Conduct performance reviews weekly at first, then biweekly. These reviews provide an opportunity for constructive feedback, discussions on performance standards, and acknowledgment of successes. |
| 6. Activities for Social and Team Integration | Organize team-building activities—either in person or virtually—to help caregivers connect, share experiences, and reduce feelings of isolation, fostering job satisfaction. |
| 7. Continuous Training and Development of Skills | Offer ongoing training to address skill gaps and support professional growth. Confidence and competence are reinforced through additional learning opportunities. |
| 8. Talk Openly About Compensation and Payroll | After the first pay period, review paychecks with caregivers to ensure clarity and satisfaction. Open communication about earnings reduces misunderstandings and early resignations. |
| 9. Appreciation and Constructive Feedback | Show gratitude for caregivers’ efforts through handwritten notes or private messages. Small acts of kindness foster a positive and supportive work environment. |
| 10. Thorough 90-day Evaluation and Career Guidance | Conduct a structured 90-day review to evaluate performance, identify areas for growth, and discuss career opportunities. Helping caregivers envision their future in the organization can be a powerful motivator. |
By following this 10-step process, your home care agency can establish an atmosphere that will not only
draw in new caregivers but also help retaind existing ones, resulting in a long-term, engaged workforce. Furthermore, regular plan evaluations and the tracking of retention indicators will enable ongoing improvement based on feedback and actual data. This customized strategy is in line with industry best practices, which have demonstrated that meaningful engagement touchpoints and planned onboarding greatly lower turnover rates and improve caregiver satisfaction.
Caregiver Recruiting Software
We hope that the steps above help you with 90-Day retention, but some attrition is inevitable and at the same time, demand is growing. Ankota offers caregiver recruiting software that essentially pays for itself by enabling free job postings on 16 of the most popular recruiting sites including Indeed, ZipRecruiter and LinkedIn. To learn more about Ankota's Caregiver Recruiting Software, please contact Ankota.
Ankota's mission is to enable the Heroes who keep older and disabled people living at home to focus on care because we take care of the tech. If you need software for home care, EVV, I/DD Services, Adult Day Care centers, or Caregiver Recruiting, please Contact Ankota.
Your Comments :