“We’re hiring.” “If you know of any certified nursing assistants, we are hiring.” “We too are desperately seeking caregivers.” “We are actually all set with caregivers.”
“Huh? What?”
Eyes were wide open and mouths dropped when these last two words were spoken, only to be followed by “No, I am just kidding, we need all the help we can get.” While the audience of 40 to 50 senior living and long-term care professionals attending a recent networking breakfast at a Florida assisted living community responded with laughter, the caregiver and CNA staffing shortage is no laughing matter — we are in crisis mode.
While I certainly can’t speak for every senior living community in the country, I do know that several senior living community marketing liaisons as well as senior placement advisors are reporting being extremely busy with tours and new resident move-ins. I think most of us in the senior living industry are starting to feel very confident that we are fast moving to the other side of the pandemic.
With that turn comes hope, joy, relief and renewed faith in purpose for many people. However, nothing ever seems to come easy. So while occupancy levels rise and life gets back to “normal”, the caregiver/CNA staffing crisis continues to loom and my hunch is that it will get worse before it gets better.
Here’s my recommendation to senior living communities facing caregiver/CNA staffing shortages. Take a pause. I know that advice may sound imprudent on the surface when time is of the essence and day-to-day activities keep staff extremely busy. However, think about this for a minute.
One of the many time-consuming tasks that caregivers and CNAs perform day in and day out is changing residents who are challenged with incontinence. With every product change, there is a risk of a caregiver/CNA injuring their back or shoulder. If a caregiver/CNA injures their back or shoulder and has to leave their shift, not only does that create the negative ripple effect and additional work for team members on that same shift, but you are now also left to fill the void of the loss of your recently injured employee. Taking a pause to think about current incontinence product usage and the number of necessary changes per resident needed is important, as fewer changes help to reduce the risk of injuries related to those product changes for caregivers and CNA’s.
Using high-quality, fully breathable and super absorbent products typically will require only three to four product pieces per day per resident. Most importantly, the quality of resident care will not be compromised as premium incontinence products perform effectively while reducing the risk of skin breakdowns, UTIs and falls for residents. Fewer changes equates to less risk and less time.
If your caregivers/CNAs are changing wet sheets for the same incontinent residents multiple times per week or even worse, multiple times per day, again, take a pause. It is important to evaluate the root cause of the wet sheets versus only correcting the immediate problem at hand and having caregivers/CNAs spend their time changing sheets, which may have become part of their daily routine.
Is the resident wearing the correct size product? Is the resident wearing the correct absorbency level? Is the resident wearing the correct product style for their level of incontinence and comfort? Take a pause to think about if the resident is being toileted with help during the day and then not being toileted at night. There are several reasons why day and night incontinence products are used and a hybrid toileting schedule is one of those reasons. The fewer soiled sheets that caregivers and CNAs have to change, the more time they have for other duties that need their attention. I am confident in saying that both the resident and caregiver/CNA will be happier as an additional benefit of fewer soiled sheets and garments needing to be laundered.
I have one final “take a pause” suggestion, and that is to take the time to apply a person centered approach to care for each resident and see if there are ways that will actually help residents remain continent or decrease their incontinence. Caregiver/CNA workflow, a toileting schedule, understanding the root cause of incontinence for each individual resident, evaluating physical living spaces and making sure clothing is easy to take off are some examples of factors that help residents to remain continent. Evaluation takes time, but it is in fact time well spent. Positive changes, (no pun intended) that improve the lives of residents is a win for residents, a win for caregivers/CNAs and a win for communities overall.
The hot topic of social isolation and its negative implications has been examined by so many and for so long throughout the last 12-15 months. Unfortunately, social isolation for many people living with incontinence was their reality before the pandemic arrived. And unfortunately, post pandemic, many incontinent residents will continue to self isolate due to fear of embarrassing situations occurring long after the pandemic headlines slow down.
Using high-quality products with inner leak guards helps provide more dignity and improves confidence for incontinent residents. Happier residents help improve the work environment for caregivers/CNAs and sometimes a simple change in product may appear to be a little thing, when in fact, it is a very favorable big thing. Taking the time to evaluate incontinence products available on the market today, and/or working with suppliers and manufacturers to move the conversation from the front lines of the community to the boardroom may be one solution to help address the caregiver/CNA staffing shortage. While a lack of time is worrisome and stressful for most people working in senior living, delving into the root cause of incontinence-related issues may be one key factor that contributes to improving the current caregiver/CNA staffing shortage. Perhaps there is no better time to “take a pause.”
Deanna Vigliotta is the National Sales Manager for Seni premium adult incontinence products and has an extensive 30-year background in healthcare sales and sales management. She joined Seni in early 2019 to help expand the Seni brand presence on the US market and educate consumers, healthcare professionals and senior living communities about the importance of choosing high-quality fully breathable products.
