Personal care agencies must support family caregivers, Comfort Keepers CEO says

Comfort Keepers CEO Natalie Black talked about a range of issues for the podcast. Besides the importance of supporting family caregivers, Black talked about Comfort Keepers becoming a fully franchised home care model last year. She also welcomes legislation in states that regulate home care as it raises the playing field. Meanwhile, the workforce shortage remains the biggest challenge for major personal care franchisor. “Having a reputation as a good employer is just as important as having a reputation as a good provider,” she said. Among the workforce issues Black is paying close attention to is the Department of Labor’s proposed companionship exemption rule. If finalized, it would mean certain home care workers would be exempt from federal overtime and minimum wage requirements in the Fair Labor Standards Act. The industry has changed a lot in the last 10 years, Black said. It’s fast-paced, there is a lot of competition and there is new technology to incorporate into operations. Going forward, she sees more opportunity for specialization in the vein of the company’s new Positive Pathways program, a person-centered approach for caring for clients with Alzheimer's and dementia. In the future, there is the possibility of more specialization around respite services, post-acute care and post-procedural care, she said.Follow us on social media:X: @McKHomeCareFacebook: McKnight's Home CareLinkedIn: McKnight's Home CareInstagram: mcknights_homecareFollow Comfort Keepers on social media:Facebook: Comfort Keepers Home OfficeLinkedIn: Comfort KeepersInstagram: comfortkeepersofficialShow contributors:McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Natalie Black, CEO, Comfort Keepers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.