Future competencies needed for the direct care service workforce

Purpose: To learn what new skills and competencies will be required of DCSW in the near future.

Background: Increases in the elderly population are putting pressure on long term care (LTC) providers to modify and adapt their services and the care provided to patients. While direct care service workers (DCSWs) are typically the lowest paid caregivers for elderly patients in LTC. They have the most direct contact with LTC patients and are often referred to as the eyes and ears of the health care system.

Methods: The Ohio Direct Service Worker Future Competencies Survey was conducted in 2012, 166 LTC administrators responded to the survey.

Results: Ohio LTC administrators (87%) anticipate that policy changes will increase home care use. As the number of home care jobs grows the need to train DCSW will intensify. Nearly all types of LTC providers in Ohio require DCSWs to learn to provide dementia care; 98% of assisted living facilities require dementia care giving knowledge. Half of LTC organizations currently ask DCSWs to use technology in their jobs; 95% anticipate DCSWs using technology more in the near future. Fewer than 50% of administrators require DCSWs to learn supervisory skills; of those who don't, 43% foresee DCSWs learning supervisory skills in the near future.

Conclusion: Some Ohio LTC organizations are already training their workers in skills they will need in the near future, while many others anticipate the need for workers to learn these skills. These skills are not currently being offered by DCSW training programs.