Pray for our Caregivers

Last month, I had originally drafted a note about our critical caregiver shortage.  I planned it to read something like this:

We all see it – “help wanted” signs everywhere… This scarcity of modest-wage employees is also our biggest challenge…We have increased wages (multiple times), offered incentive, and piloted other innovations... You already know that some of our leaders are working in homes to cover caregiver shifts… We will continue to work to solve this problem, but as evidenced by the examples above, there are bigger forces at work… we ask you to unleash the biggest force – pray.

The winds took me in another (happier) direction to what I ultimately sent – and yet, with the grace of God, we’ve hired more people in the last month than we have in the last four combined.  The crisis is not over, but we are in better shape.  

I do invite you to pray for our residents – that they remain safe and comforted.  Pray for our caregivers – that they stay strong and feel our gratitude.  Pray for our recruiters and leaders – that they find the right words and actions to fill the need.  And pray that the factors creating this shortage realign – for the good of all who need some help.

Thanks in advance for this and for all you do.

 

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