Research sessions will explore the LeadingAge Summer Enrichment Program, job design for home care, and creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture.
Researchers at the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston will share findings from their recent studies during three sessions at the LeadingAge Leadership Summit. The Summit takes place March 28-30 in Washington, DC.
Visit the Leadership Summit website to learn more and to register.
BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE PIPELINE ONE INTERN AT A TIME
During 2021, LeadingAge took several steps aimed at increasing diversity in the field of aging services. One of those steps involved launching the LeadingAge Summer Enrichment Program, a 10-week internship experience focused on recruiting and training a diverse group of students for leadership careers in aging services. Twenty-eight interns enrolled in the 2021 Summer Enrichment Program, which gave them the opportunity to complete a substantive project for a LeadingAge member, work with a mentor, and take part in a variety of leadership development activities.
Session 11-B, which takes on Tuesday, March 29 from 9-10:30 a.m., will introduce you to the Summer Enrichment Program’s history and design. Meet LeadingAge members who hosted interns, hear from students who participated in the program, and review findings from a program evaluation conducted by the LTSS Center.
JOB DESIGN FOR HOME CARE: PERSPECTIVES OF EMPLOYERS AND AIDES
Home-based care is a rapidly growing sector that has become increasingly popular among individuals, families, providers, and payers. Given the sector’s growing importance, leaders in the field of aging services must begin assessing how home-based care jobs and workplaces are designed and how workplace strategies might need to change to reflect labor market innovation.
Session 21-D, which takes place Tuesday, March 29 from 4-5:30 p.m., will focus on new research from the LTSS Center documenting how different home care business models organize and support home-based care. Two home care providers will identify the key attributes of a positive workplace environment and will outline the strategies they use to recruit and retain home-based caregiving professionals. A home care aide will describe her work experience and LTSS Center researchers will outline next steps for a larger study to better understand how work is organized and performed in different home-based business models.
CREATING A DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, AND EQUITABLE WORKPLACE CULTURE
The long-term services and supports (LTSS) sector is a microcosm of the systemic racism that exits in our society. Nationally, half of frontline professional caregivers in the LTSS field are nonwhite, while mid- and executive-level managers and board members are predominately white. Research identifies this lack of leadership diversity as a major contributor to turnover among frontline staff and a major barrier to recruitment.
Session 25-E, which takes place Wednesday, March 30 from 9-10:30 a.m., will highlight findings from research on diversity, equity, and inclusion that the LTSS Center conducted in 2021. Two leaders of color will recount the barriers they encountered in their quest for career advancement and the factors that supported their success. A CEO will explain how and why his organization is working to create a diverse and inclusive culture. Panelists will describe a new collaboration between LeadingAge providers and minority-serving educational institutions and how it will help LTSS organizations recruit diverse talent.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit the Leadership Summit website to learn more and to register.