It's no secret that the demand for elder care in the U.S. is rapidly expanding as the senior population continues to grow. However, the availability of qualified individuals to help manage the care of seniors seeking a little extra help during their golden years is not always proportionate. Historically, many universities have been slow to institute degree programs specific to the elder care industry, however, Cambridge College School of Management, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, recently announced the availability of Master of Management Degree focused on senior health care beginning in the Spring of 2013.
Such programs provide individuals currently working in the elder care field, or those with an interest in geriatric care as a career, an opportunity to expand their education in coursework designed to fit the real world scenarios that face elder care managers. For individuals managing an in-home elder care agency, education combined with a commitment to service and use of technology such as a home care software or home care system can make or break an agency's ability to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.
Advanced education in elder care can provide agency administrators with an edge over their competitors, however, even with a wealth of experience and knowledge, managing a private duty elder care agency requires some help. Daily tasks like scheduling, payroll, billing and employee management can be tedious tasks. However, with a home care software or home care system, such as ClearCare, in place, elder care managers can delegate specified functions to other staff members and use automation to help speed up otherwise lengthy processes.
The time savings created by the integration of home care software or a home care system as a management tool consequently allows administrators to use their expertise to better market services and attend to current clients – both key functions for increasing client hours and revenue.
While Master's programs are a great fit for some administrators, tracking all education within an agency is imperative. Whether it's continuing education for caregivers, CNA or CPR certifications, keeping track of who is current in what areas can be a challenge – especially with paper files. However, ClearCare's robust home care software and home care system allows every caregiver skill and certification to be tracked in an electronic profile, with automatic reminders when certifications need renewed – helping to keep your staff up to date on their education with minimal administration time and effort.
Education is a key component to any position in the elder care industry. Whether you're striving to complete an advanced degree in elder care, or simply trying to keep your caregiver's first aid certifications up to date, a home care software and home care system, such as ClearCare can help make education even more effective.