California's in-home assistance program, which has been around for nearly 50 years, is plagued by high turnover. About 1 in 3 caregivers leave the program each year, according to University of California-Davis researcher Heather Young, who worked on a 2019 government report on California’s health care workforce needs
Turnover ails a program that allows low-income people who are older or disabled to age in place. To attract new workers and improve retention, the state is paying caregivers to develop new skills.
One November afternoon, Chris Espedal asked a group of caregivers all of whom work with people who have cognitive impairments, behavioral health issues, or complex physical needs to describe what happens when their work becomes too much to bear.
The state's Department of Social Services is providing thousands of classes, online and in-person, that it says are necessary to attract and retain caregivers.