The Vancouver Courier

November 2, 2007

Program seeks stay-at-home moms

Province faces shrotage of home support workers

by SANDRA THOMAS, Vancouver Courier

Faced with a labour shortage, a local health care company is hoping to fill home support positions with stay-at-home mothers by giving them flexible shifts that allow them to be available for their children.

The 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. "Mommy Shift" is the brainchild of Nurse Next Door home healthcare services, a private company launched here six years ago.

Arif Abdulla, spokesperson for Nurse Next Door, said a shortage of home care workers means agencies must be innovative to fill positions. He said offering flexible hours so women can be home before and after school is one way to attract employees.

"It's a perfect solution," said Abdulla. "We can widen our pool of workers with moms who want to participate in meaningful work."

In addition to part-time and 24-hour caregiver services, including palliative care, Nurse Next Door offers a companionship program for clients who suffer from depression, loneliness or have Alzheimer's or dementia.

The shift for mothers is an extension of the companionship program. The program, which launched four weeks ago, has attracted only female applicants, but Abdulla said men are welcome to apply.

Abdulla said the employee's prior training mandates their responsibilities. An employee with no training can help their client with daily living, such as light housework, meal preparation and some personal care. An employee with home care training or a nursing background may also provide complex medical care. Wages depend on the employee's training and responsibilities. Abdulla said the wages are competitive for the health care industry, but added he could not give an exact figure.

Employees in the program are allowed to take time off when their children are out of school, such as on professional days. They are also typically matched with clients in their own neighbourhood.

Judith Be Vera was working for Nurse Next Door as a home support worker when the mommy shift was introduced. She jumped at the chance to change her hours so she can be home with her two young children.

"I like to work while my kids are in school, but I also like to pick them up," said Be Vera. "This shift lets me pick up the kids and go home and prepare dinner and take care of my household."

Be Vera works for a couple, but is mostly responsible for caring for the wife. Besides personal care, she cleans, makes meals and accompanies them while grocery shopping.

"And I'm home by three," she said.

Vancouver Coastal health spokesperson Viviana Zanocco said with the significant shortage of home support workers and nurses in B.C., flexible shifts make sense.

"There are a lot of professional health care agencies out there, but if they can offer flexible work hours as well as wages and benefits they'll attract workers," said Zanocco. "There's a shortage of workers for doctor's offices, clinics, agencies and residential care facilities and we're all competing against each other."

Zanocco notes some hospital nurses have the option of working two to three 12-hour graveyard shifts per week, which sees them home in the morning in time to get their kids off to school and then allows them four or five days off. "There's a shift for every nurse, and there should be flexible shifts for stay-at-home moms," said Zanocco. "We have an aging population, and I don't know if this is the first company to target this specific demographic for home health care, but it makes sense."

Zanocco said the health care industry is growing so rapidly there are many opportunities for employment and a lack of workers. "So they've found a way to target a niche employment pool," she said. 

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