February 4, 2013

(JTA) — A new $2.95 million project will set national standards and guidelines for home caregivers.

The New York-based Homecare Aid Workforce Initiative was launched last week in a bid to improve care for older adults while benefiting those who have made a career of providing the care, according to a statement issued by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

The Maryland-based foundation provided $1.6 million for the initiative, which will establish a best practices baseline for recruitment, training and supervision of paid caregivers.

Some 3.2 million paid caregivers in the United States assist frail and chronically ill older adults.

“We were disturbed to learn that these workers, who provide care for our frailest and most vulnerable relatives, neighbors and friends, have among the lowest levels of training and few, if any, employee benefits,” said Rachel Garbow Monroe, the Weinberg foundation’s president.

The 27-month program will provide hands-on, comprehensive and specialty training to at least 600 new and 400 experienced home-care workers. It is being run in  collaboration with UJA-Federation of New York and several of its beneficiary agencies.
 

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