Finding and Retaining Finding and Retaining Your Respite Worker Your Respite Worker

Benefits of a Web-Based RegistryBenefits of a Web-Based Registry

Rewarding Work Resources, IncRewarding Work Resources, Incwww.RewardingWork.orgwww.RewardingWork.org

866-212-WORK (9675)866-212-WORK (9675)

National Lifespan Respite ConferenceNational Lifespan Respite Conference November 2011November 2011

Presenters

Elenore ParkerElenore Parker President, Rewarding Work ResourcesPresident, Rewarding Work Resources

eparker@rewardingwork.orgeparker@rewardingwork.org

866-212-9675866-212-9675 Jeffrey A. KeilsonJeffrey A. Keilson

Vice President, Rewarding Work Vice President, Rewarding Work ResourcesResourcesjkeilson@advocatesinc.org

781-910-7216781-910-7216

Who is Rewarding Work?Who is Rewarding Work?

Non profit corporation founded in Non profit corporation founded in 2004 2004

Created and manages the online Created and manages the online matching services registry, matching services registry, RewardingWork.org RewardingWork.org

Currently operates in five statesCurrently operates in five states Created and manages the Created and manages the

Massachusetts PCA Referral Massachusetts PCA Referral DirectoryDirectory

MissionMission

The mission of Rewarding Work The mission of Rewarding Work Resources is to connect.Resources is to connect. We We connect elders, people with connect elders, people with disabilities, and their families to disabilities, and their families to personal care assistants (PCAs), personal care assistants (PCAs), respite workers, and other direct respite workers, and other direct care workers . And, we connect care workers . And, we connect respite workers with employersrespite workers with employers..

Learning objectivesHow to:How to:

Use a web-based registry as a Use a web-based registry as a resource for caregivers to connect resource for caregivers to connect with respite and emergency workerswith respite and emergency workers

Develop partnerships to enhance the Develop partnerships to enhance the effectiveness of a web-based registry effectiveness of a web-based registry of respite and emergency workers of respite and emergency workers

Use a web-based registry to Use a web-based registry to collaborate across elder and collaborate across elder and disability communities disability communities

The Situation

Need for respite and emergency Need for respite and emergency workers will continue to grow workers will continue to grow dramatically: dramatically:

Population aging: By 2050, 40 Population aging: By 2050, 40 percent of people age 65 will percent of people age 65 will survive to age 90survive to age 90 More people living in More people living in communities of their choicecommunities of their choice The estimated need for direct The estimated need for direct support workers will grow by support workers will grow by 60% in less than a decade60% in less than a decade

Significant shift in Significant shift in employment settingsemployment settings

Facility settings

Finding qualified respite Finding qualified respite workers workers

Traditional networks inadequateTraditional networks inadequate Family & Friends: ExhaustionFamily & Friends: Exhaustion Private agencies: Expensive, Private agencies: Expensive,

inconsistent, and/or limited inconsistent, and/or limited choice choice

Advertise: Expensive, limited, Advertise: Expensive, limited, time consumingtime consuming

Rewarding Work: Excellent Rewarding Work: Excellent alternative!alternative!

Using a Using a Web-based RegistryWeb-based Registry

What is Rewarding What is Rewarding Work?Work?

A Web-based self-directed registry A Web-based self-directed registry Assists people with disabilities, Assists people with disabilities,

elders, and families in connecting elders, and families in connecting with respite workerswith respite workers

Access candidates where you liveAccess candidates where you live Comprehensive information about Comprehensive information about

candidatescandidates Resources and links to key Resources and links to key

information to assist caregiversinformation to assist caregivers

Registry can be modified Registry can be modified to suit needs of to suit needs of individual statesindividual states

State specific web siteState specific web site States select application States select application

questionsquestions States determine content for States determine content for

pagespages State-specific outreachState-specific outreach

States design programs States design programs to suit specific needsto suit specific needs

Connecticut – Free for DDS consumersConnecticut – Free for DDS consumers Massachusetts – Free for Medicaid Massachusetts – Free for Medicaid

users users New Jersey - Paid subscriptions for New Jersey - Paid subscriptions for

mostmost Rhode Island – Free for Medicaid usersRhode Island – Free for Medicaid users Vermont – Free for all residentsVermont – Free for all residents

Rewarding Work adapts Rewarding Work adapts for users in specific for users in specific

regionregion State consumers State consumers Private pay Private pay State agenciesState agencies Private non-profit agenciesPrivate non-profit agencies OthersOthers

What else?What else?

Connects to existing resourcesConnects to existing resources Means for collaborating across Means for collaborating across

disability and elder communitiesdisability and elder communities Call center available 24/7 Call center available 24/7 Outreach to existing and Outreach to existing and

potential workerspotential workers Extensive customer services to Extensive customer services to

employers and workersemployers and workers

Find someone who lives nearbyFind someone who lives nearby

Who has qualities you need:Who has qualities you need: Lives near youLives near you Interested in providing respiteInterested in providing respite Has experience you are Has experience you are

looking forlooking for Available hours you need Available hours you need Has a driver’s licenseHas a driver’s license Has desired certificationsHas desired certifications

How it Works!How it Works!To ensure security everyone To ensure security everyone

needs to registerneeds to register RegisterRegister Log-inLog-in Applicant Search – PreliminaryApplicant Search – Preliminary Applicant Search – AdvancedApplicant Search – Advanced Save Search CriteriaSave Search Criteria Sort ApplicantsSort Applicants View ApplicantsView Applicants Contact ApplicantsContact Applicants

View list of candidates View list of candidates on Applicant Searchon Applicant Search

Enter your zip codeEnter your zip code From pull-down menu, enter from 1 to 50 From pull-down menu, enter from 1 to 50

milesmiles Select choices that match your needs, such as Select choices that match your needs, such as

providing respite care or is available on an providing respite care or is available on an emergency basis emergency basis

Click Search Now to view resultsClick Search Now to view results Most recent names are on topMost recent names are on top Candidates update applications to remain Candidates update applications to remain

activeactive

Save your search

Save your current search criteria Name your search to identify it Return later to view new

candidates who match your criteria

See your criteria at any time

Sort ResultsSort Results

Change the “look” of your Change the “look” of your selectionselection

Check up to 3 columns, such as Check up to 3 columns, such as Tel number, Experience, and Tel number, Experience, and CertificationCertification

Click on Update Column OptionsClick on Update Column Options See quick overview of your See quick overview of your

choiceschoices

ViewView

View candidate’s complete View candidate’s complete applicationapplication

Contact people who meet your Contact people who meet your specific needsspecific needs

Contact by email or phoneContact by email or phone Read “Useful Tips” before hiringRead “Useful Tips” before hiring Call Toll-free 1-866-212-WORK Call Toll-free 1-866-212-WORK

(9675) if you need additional help(9675) if you need additional help

Resources on Rewarding Resources on Rewarding WorkWork

Instructions for useInstructions for use Helpful resources for each Helpful resources for each

statestate Tips for hiring staffTips for hiring staff Information can be modified Information can be modified

for specific respite usefor specific respite use Consumers may post job Consumers may post job

openingsopenings

Benefits of dynamic Benefits of dynamic databasedatabase

Database updated dailyDatabase updated daily New prospects added everyday New prospects added everyday Search by specific needSearch by specific need

●Geography (zip code search)Geography (zip code search)●Interested in providing Interested in providing respiterespite

●Experience and educationExperience and education●Access to transportationAccess to transportation

Developing Partnerships

Schools

Business

FamiliesPrivate

agencies

Workers

Government agencies

Consumers

Registry

Partnerships

Partners: consumersPartners: consumers

People with disabilities Elders Children Adults Families

Partners: schoolsPartners: schools

Vocational High SchoolsVocational High Schools Community CollegesCommunity Colleges CollegesColleges Technical schoolsTechnical schools

Partners: government Partners: government agenciesagencies

MedicaidMedicaid State Human Service State Human Service

Departments Departments Elder AffairsElder Affairs Local Departments Local Departments Housing AuthoritiesHousing Authorities

Partners: private Partners: private agenciesagencies

Personal Care Management Agencies Personal Care Management Agencies Hospitals Hospitals Independent Living CentersIndependent Living Centers Area Agencies on Aging (AAA)/Aging Area Agencies on Aging (AAA)/Aging

Service Access Points (ASAP)Service Access Points (ASAP) Aging and Disability Resource Aging and Disability Resource

Centers (ADRC)Centers (ADRC) Human service providersHuman service providers Other affiliated agenciesOther affiliated agencies

Partners: businessesPartners: businesses

BanksBanks FoundationsFoundations CorporationsCorporations Chambers of CommerceChambers of Commerce

Recruiting workersRecruiting workers

Word of mouth of workersWord of mouth of workers FamiliesFamilies WebsiteWebsite Online marketingOnline marketing Brochures and postersBrochures and posters AgenciesAgencies Training workersTraining workers

Training workersTraining workers

Workers training workersWorkers training workers Community collegesCommunity colleges Technical collegesTechnical colleges College of Direct SupportCollege of Direct Support State training programsState training programs Vocational high schools Vocational high schools

Collaboration across Collaboration across elder and disability elder and disability

communitiescommunities

Collaboration required to ensure Collaboration required to ensure successsuccess

Need to break down separate Need to break down separate silossilos

Managing information enhances Managing information enhances collaborationcollaboration

Collaboration: Collaboration: enhanced quality of lifeenhanced quality of life

People with disabilities: get People with disabilities: get respite workers they need respite workers they need

Elders: able to stay in their Elders: able to stay in their homeshomes

Collaboration: Collaboration: supporting caregiverssupporting caregivers

Easy access to respite workerEasy access to respite worker Effective system to identify and Effective system to identify and

hire workershire workers Caregivers get a breakCaregivers get a break Loved ones can remain living at Loved ones can remain living at

homehome

Everybody winsEverybody wins

State agencies: State agencies: ●Save moneySave money●People stay in the community People stay in the community

and avoid institutionsand avoid institutions Private agencies: Able to do Private agencies: Able to do their job bettertheir job better Community: WinsCommunity: Wins

Review

A web-based registry is a resource A web-based registry is a resource for caregivers to connect with for caregivers to connect with respite and emergency workersrespite and emergency workers

Partnerships enhance Partnerships enhance effectiveness of a web-based effectiveness of a web-based registry of respite workers registry of respite workers

A web-based registry supports A web-based registry supports collaboration across elder and collaboration across elder and disability communitiesdisability communities

Consumer testimonialConsumer testimonial

““Up until now my only resource Up until now my only resource was word of mouth or ads in was word of mouth or ads in newspapers which was time newspapers which was time consuming. In just one week with consuming. In just one week with www.RewardingWork.org, I have www.RewardingWork.org, I have interviewed four people, two of interviewed four people, two of whom I hired. Thank you again. whom I hired. Thank you again. This Website is a lifesaver!”This Website is a lifesaver!”

---Family Member---Family Member

The end resultThe end result

Families/caregivers can Families/caregivers can easily find quality respite easily find quality respite and emergency workers.and emergency workers.