February 16th is National Caregivers Day which is an opportunity to celebrate people who dedicate their professional lives to caring for others. 

Caregivers provide life-changing and often life-saving services for older citizens and people living with disabilities. The job requires dedication, patience, and compassion, and caregivers’ days are often long and demanding.

Here are some ideas for employers seeking to show appreciation on Caregivers Day all year round.

The Significance of the Caregiver Workforce

Formal caregivers are employed to provide care in people’s homes or care settings. Professional caregiver roles include:

• Adult daycare facility caregivers
• Agency caregivers and home health aides
• Assisted living facility caregivers
• Certified nursing assistants (CNAs)
• Hospice and palliative caregivers
• Private-duty caregivers
• Skilled nursing home caregivers

A caregiver’s main responsibility is to ensure the person within their care is safe and healthy, with duties including:

• Helping with a daily routine like bathing or getting dressed
• Preparing meals
• Completing housework
• Administering medication
• Managing finances
• Transportation
• Monitoring health

Currently, the U.S. caregiver workforce comprises about 4.8 million employees, including nearly 2.8 million home care workers, over 718,500 workers in residential care homes, approximately 448,000 nursing assistants in nursing homes, and almost 1 million workers in other settings like hospitals.Professional caregivers provide essential services, but the U.S. is facing a severe shortage of these workers, and the demand for their skills will only continue to grow: by 2028, the number of paid care workers needed is expected to increase by 1.1 million.

Why is There a Caregiver Talent Shortage?

The reasons employers struggle to attract and retain caregivers are multi-faceted. Compensation is the first issue. A caregiver’s role requires considerable technical and interpersonal skills—but they receive low pay in return. Caregivers earn $15.81 per hour on average and rarely receive benefits.

Moreover, these jobs are physically and emotionally demanding with heavy workloads, scheduling challenges, and the risk of injury.

As a result, caregiver jobs are not as attractive as positions in other industries, making recruitment and retention a challenge. Every year, the caregiver industry loses thousands of workers to sectors that offer similar wages but more flexible schedules and other benefits.

Ways to Show Your Caregivers YOU Care this National Caregivers Day—and All Year Round

If you’re an employer in the caregiver sector, we encourage you to consider both short- and longer-term initiatives to show your appreciation. 

Gift certificates: Treat your caregivers to a shopping trip at their favorite store or dinner.

Spa vouchers: Caregivers spend hours caring for our loved ones. They deserve a few hours of relaxation to help them destress from their daily responsibilities.

Aromatherapy candles or diffusers: Give your caregivers the tools they need to relax after a long day.

Hand lotions: Caregivers who need to wash their hands frequently will appreciate a nourishing lotion.

Educational books: These will be welcomed by caregivers interested in continued learning.

Consider Introducing Year-Round Employee Benefits

Offering year-long employee benefits is crucial for employers to foster a sense of security and stability among their workforce. Consistent access to benefits ensures employees can effectively manage their health, finances, and overall well-being throughout the year, promoting productivity and engagement.

Mental health benefits: Not only are caregivers at risk of burnout due to the stressful demands of their duties, but they are also at a higher risk of suffering mental and physical health problems including anxiety, depression, obesity and hypertension.

Employee financial wellness resources: Low wages and money worries can have a profound effect on a caregiver’s job performance. When a caregiver’s own basic needs aren’t being met, they won’t be able to provide the best care for the individual in their charge.

For these reasons, forward-looking, empathetic employers are offering their caregivers benefits to improve employee financial wellness, such as financial education and coaching. Offering payment flexibility through Earned Wage Access (EWA) services is another easy-to-implement benefit. Essentially, EWA allows employees to access pay they’ve accrued but not yet received. This helps alleviate sudden, unplanned demands for cash so that workers can avoid taking on unnecessary debt.

“Our caregivers are our number one resource. With seamless access to their earned wages, Payactiv serves as another tool demonstrating our commitment to their well-being. With a clear impact on recruiting and retention, Payactiv is a can’t-miss solution!”– Anthony Fiore, Owner & CEO, Comfort Keepers®, Manassas

Supporting Caregivers – Consistently

If you employ caregivers, National Caregivers Day is an occasion to celebrate and honor these individuals who help people live better, more comfortable lives. Support your teams with year-round mental health support and comprehensive employee financial wellness benefits.

Explore how to elevate your workers’ financial well-being with Payactiv’s suite of services.

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