April 2023 Newsletter

We are elated to welcome Spring with a sense of renewal, possibility, and purpose.

Our team continues to expand. We welcomed thirteen new aides in March and a new Director of Nursing.(Read below to learn a bit more about two of the newest members of the Right at Home of Essex County family.) Our 130+ caregivers and 6 office staff motivate us to continue to build Right at Home of Essex County. In doing so, we provide them with opportunities to hone their skill sets while working as much as possible.

We also understand that, with the excitement of new beginnings, comes stress. We have taken time, in honor of National Stress Awareness Month, to explore how we are supporting our amazing team and clients so they can meet stress with resilience. We work closely with our caregivers to match their unique skill sets with appropriate clients. Moreover, our nurses perform thirty and sixty day check-ins with our clients to understand how our team at Right at Home of Essex County can assure the comfort and safety of those for whom we aim to provide the best possible service.

We are humbled that we have maintained consistent growth year over year in spite of a global pandemic. We appreciate each and every one of you who have, since 2004, supported us on this journey to serve the families of Essex County.

Melodie & Maeghan

Owning a healthcare service business means no days off. Our business runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When we do have the opportunity to get away or relax, we find it hard to truly disconnect as there is always something to do or think about.

Our team is comprised primarily of immigrant women and men of color. Each person contributes diverse perspectives and experiences that enrich the lives of the seniors we serve and our team overall. Unfortunately, many studies show that marginalized people who hold the identities of immigrant, woman, or person of color face nearly constant stress that can lead to serious health problems over time.

We work to ensure that our employees are confident in our support by creating an environment rooted in trust and respect. We do this through the following actions.

• Paid Time Off

• Open-Door Communication

• Flexible Scheduling

• Mindful Placement for Caregivers

Since the 1980’s the United States has offered several categories of visas in response to labor shortages in various industries. Most often, distinctions are made among the visa categories by education, skills, and sponsoring organizations. Immigrants who are highly educated with the skill sets that have been sought in the technology sector have benefited most from immigration policies in the United States. Much of the legislative action in Congress has focused on the needs of companies that have advocated for attracting skilled workers in the technology sector, many of whom are from outside of the United States.

Home care agencies like ours would argue that our employees offer equally important skill sets that, given the extreme shortage that exists today, and the projected need for care workers, deserve similar legislative focus. Certainly, during the height of the pandemic, we understood and were quick to acknowledge the importance of this category of essential workers whose life-saving skills were in short supply. Moreover, we have the potential to convert prospective workers in our society, who with subsidized training and minimal financial assistance, could be adequately prepared to fill the looming gaps for healthcare workers.