Managing Your Caregiver Career

To provide the best possible care, it’s important to understand the differences between two often-confused terms: hospice and palliative care. I want to shed some light on the subject and hopefully we can all approach hospice and palliative armed with more knowledge and of course, compassion!

Hospice Care: Hospice care is a form of healthcare designed for individuals with a terminal illness. It focuses on providing comfort and improving the quality of life for patients who are no longer seeking curative treatment. Hospice care typically involves a multidisciplinary team of professionals, including doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors and home health aides. It is usually provided in the patient’s home or a hospice facility.

Palliative Care: Palliative care, on the other hand, is a broader approach to care that can be implemented at any stage of a serious illness. Its primary goal is to relieve symptoms, manage pain, and enhance the overall well-being of the patient. Unlike hospice care, individuals receiving palliative care may still be pursuing curative treatments. Palliative care can be provided in various settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and even at home.

Here’s where you come in as a caregiver:

1. Tailoring Care: Recognizing which type of care is appropriate for the patient’s condition allows caregivers to tailor their approach effectively.

2. Communication: Professional caregivers can facilitate open discussions with patients and their families about the care plan and goals when they understand these distinctions. You should know when there may be a change in condition and more clinical support may be needed.

3. Support: Knowing when to involve hospice or palliative care specialists ensures that patients receive the most appropriate and comprehensive support.

4. Holistic Care: Palliative care’s focus on symptom management can be integrated into the care of patients receiving other treatments, providing a more holistic approach to their well-being.

Care professionals who understand the nuances between hospice and palliative care will be able to provide more informed and compassionate support to individuals with serious illnesses. Remember it is not just about the physical state of the client/patient/resident but also the mental state of whether or not they are seeking curative treatment versus comfort. Both hospice and palliative care are gifts. They allow a person to really dictate what is best for them and isn’t that what we all want in our aging journeys? The best thing to be is supportive and caring and of course, informed of their wishes.

Stay Amazing Caregivers!

~Franny

Hello Caregivers!

As a caregiver (home care aide, personal care aide) in the regions of Los Angeles or Orange County, you probably know the average hourly wage is $15.68.* It’s needless to say how challenging it can be to make ends meet in areas with such a high cost of living, all while earning $15.68 an hour. So, the big question is: What steps can we take to address this?

Know Your Worth

Caregiving is hard. Even the most skilled and compassionate caregivers can find themselves overwhelmed by the physical and emotional demands that come with caring for older adults. It’s a field where back injuries and burnout often go hand in hand. To make matters more pressing, there’s a noticeable scarcity of qualified caregivers in the market, while the demand for their services continues to surge. Remember the early days of the pandemic when a frenzy for toilet paper took hold? The result was sky-high prices due to the principle of supply and demand. When demand for a product or service soars while the supply remains limited, prices naturally rise – and, hopefully, wages follow suit. Don’t let anyone tell you you are doing minimal work for minimum wage. Your work has immense value.

Gather Insights

Our peers often serve as an invaluable source of information. Whether it’s about uncovering the best barbecue joints in Los Angeles or staying abreast of the latest fashion trends, we rely on the knowledge shared by friends, family, and colleagues to stay informed. This practice is doubly important when it comes to our work. Building connections within the caregiving industry becomes crucial. These connections provide insights into the top-notch employers to consider, tricks for mastering the art of caregiving, and even pay rates. At FrannyCares, we’re highly selective about the employers that join our network. A strong reputation, fair labor practices, and proper licensing are non-negotiables. Before accepting or even applying for your next job, ensure you’re armed with all the relevant information.

Boost Your Earning Potential

Staying current with the various health conditions and ailments that afflict older adults is important not only for becoming an exceptional caregiver but also for bolstering your case for higher compensation. If you’ve pursued specific certifications or invested time in courses related to promoting the health of older adults, you automatically become more appealing to potential employers and the patients you serve. Remember, education – whether formal or informal – frequently acts as the stepping stone to a more rewarding career and increased pay. Don’t forget, FrannyCares has partnered with Unitek to extend an opportunity for free CNA Classes.

Stay Amazing!

~Franny

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2022

Hello Caregivers!

A restful sleep is so important for your mental and physical health. That’s why when you accept a night shift, it may be hard on your mind and body if you are used to working during daylight hours. Below are a few tips to help you adjust to an upcoming night shift schedule.

It is almost impossible to get ready for the night shift in just a couple of days. If you have the time, it’s best to train your body and mind for a few weeks to acclimate to the change.

Create a perfect space for sleeping during the day by mimicking night. This may include using blackout curtains, a sleep mask and possibly ear plugs to minimize any distractions to your sleep. Also keep the room cool and tell people in your household to be as quiet as possible while you rest. It’s not easy to reset your body’s natural circadian rhythm!

On your night shift, it can be tempting to consume foods or beverages with sugar or caffeine for a much needed jolt. But these can offset all the hard work you have put into training your body’s clock. Opt for healthier alternatives such as berries, nuts, yogurt and lots of water. For a quick pick-me-up try a brisk walk, a cold compress to your face and neck or do some jumping jacks. Anything to get your mind and body moving again!

My favorite sleep mask and ear plugs I personally use:

Stay Amazing!

~ Franny

Hello Caregivers!

Managing your money is important no matter your career, but it is especially important when your pay may vary from week to week. When you trust a bank with your hard earned money, you want to make sure they don’t tack on any fees or hidden costs! Below are recommendations of 3 no-fee checking accounts. Some even offer cash bonuses for signing up! As with any financial product, make sure you read the fine print and they do not have physical locations to visit if you have questions, just online/phone customer service.

Note: Recommendations based on information current as of September 28, 2022

SoFi

You may have seen SoFi billboards around town or even been to an event at the splashy new SoFi stadium. What started as a college loan company has morphed into a full service online bank. SoFi is offering a no-fee checking and savings account and up to $300 “cash back” when you link to direct deposit and meet the minimum deposits. They also offer a 2.00% APY (annual percentage yield) which is basically unheard of in the banking world and an option to get paid before payday.

https://www.sofi.com/banking/

Ally Banking

I have personally used Ally Bank and their app and customer service is great. They have zero monthly fees and no overdraft fees. They also will never charge you for a low balance. Their APY is low at .25% so I would recommend looking elsewhere if you want to accrue interest. They also have an option to get paid before payday.

https://www.ally.com/bank/interest-checking-account/

Chime

Chime is the newest addition to the online banking world. It being a younger entity might give you some pause, but Chime has great reviews. One thing unique about Chime is they do not charge for international transactions, so if you are traveling overseas you can use your Chime card without any fees. Chime also will not charge for monthly fees, overdraft and they have the largest network of in-network ATMs (ATMs you can use without a fee). Again, they also have an option to get paid before payday.

Note: Chime has a credit card as well and their website can make it a bit confusing. I am only talking about their debit card or checking account here.

https://chime.com

Stay Amazing!

~ Franny

Hello Caregivers!

As a professional caregiver you have never been in higher demand. It is a perfect time to reevaluate your pay rates. It’s all about leverage! (With FrannyCares you can set what your desired pay range. We will not show you any jobs lower than your set range.) If you think you are being underpaid, you must take it upon yourself to ask for a raise and demonstrate why you deserve one. Not the easiest conversation, I know…but this is YOUR power and YOUR livelihood. Taking control is the only option.

Below are my tips for negotiating a raise:

Do Your Research

Knowing what the average pay is in your area is critical to know before you start negotiating. Check out Intuit Mint for average salaries for caregiving jobs. If you have caregiver friends, ask them what they are getting paid. Also ask them what benefits they receive, for instance, paid-time off, paid meals, health insurance etc.

Note: Intuit’s figure is a yearly salary so to find out what the hourly rate is, you would divide by 2080, which is the average hours worked per year.

Make a List

You may think your employer understands your value and will pay you fairly. I wish, you wish, we all wish! If you don’t advocate for yourself and stay silent then things will stay the same. I recommend caregivers write down all the times they helped their employers by going above and beyond, were flexible with covering a shift or received compliments from a family, colleagues or supervisors. Your aim is not to read this list off, but it demonstrates that YOU understand your value and you want the employer to understand it as well.

Note: Pay disparity between women of color and White women has increased over the past few months. Do not be a statistic.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Negotiating for a raise is not a conversation we have every day. What I’m saying is that it is usually uncomfortable to us because we haven’t practiced it like we have practiced our conversations with say, a dementia patient, or giving colleagues notes on patients during shift changes. These are conversations you can probably have in your sleep! Tap a trusted individual to play the role of the employer. Have them say “no” to you or “we don’t have the budget” or “why do you need a raise?”. The more you practice your pitch, the better the result will be.

Note: Remember this is a negotiation. An employer may go back and forth with you on the actual figure. Know what your bottom line is. What is the minimum figure you are willing to accept?

Good advice from a CEO!

Stay Amazing!

~ Franny

Hello Caregivers!

There is probably some confusion to the different terms we and others use to describe caregivers. And the reason is not because we want to be difficult (I promise!) but because the training, certification and terms can vary from state to state. You may have heard terms such as personal care attendant, home health aide, healthcare assistant, professional caregiver etc. which can all mean different things. So to clear things up I’m going to tell you what it is in the State of California only, FrannyCares’ home base.

Many in-home care agencies, assisted living facilities and SNFs etc. require their caregivers to be licensed home care aides (HCAs). However, the HCA term does not necessarily exist in other states. An HCA must be licensed by the state of California and have 5 hours of training from their employer each year. They must also pass a background check and be clear of TB. HCAs provide non-medical help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).

Home Health Aides (HHAs) is the term I see get mixed up the most. Here in California HHAs require more training than an HCA and can work in Medicare approved services such as home health and hospice. Their HHA certification is checked and audited so that home health and hospice agencies can be reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid. Home Health Aides will assist with ADLs and IADLs however their extended training allows them to assist with medications and basic skin/wound care.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) go through a rigorous training and certification process. They must pass state clinicals and exams to be a CNA. CNAs assist with all ADLs, IADLs, administration of medications, taking of vital signs and setting up medical equipment such as an IV drip.

Whatever name you go by, HHA, HCA, PCA, or another combination of the alphabet YOU all are the unsung heroes of the healthcare system and at the end of the day you all give care. People depend on your smile, your assistance, your knowledge, your skill, your presence day in and day out. We thank you!

Stay Amazing!

~Franny