The Future Leaders Awards program is brought to you in partnership with Homecare Homebase. The program is designed to recognize up-and-coming industry members who are shaping the next decade of home health, hospice care, senior housing, skilled nursing, and behavioral health. To see this year’s Future Leaders, visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/.
Brett Ringold, vice president at the Jenkintown, Pennsylvania-based A Long Term Companion, has been named a 2024 Future Leader by Home Health Care News.
To become a Future Leader, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a high-performing employee who is 40 years old or younger, a passionate worker who knows how to put vision into action, and an advocate for seniors, and the committed professionals who ensure their wellbeing.
Ringold sat down with Home Health Care News to discuss his career trajectory and centering home care business around the caregivers.
What drew you to this industry?
I started my career in the home care industry in 2010, but my first experience with home care was as a patient. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 12, and during a particularly bad flare-up, my family hired a local home care provider to assist us.
Fortunately, I’ve been in remission for nearly 20 years. Still, that experience as a patient inspired my passion for home care and shaped our mission to deliver the highest quality of care to families in the region.
What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting work in this industry?
I’ve learned that our professional caregivers are at the core of everything we do.
When I began my career, especially from the perspective of a former patient, I thought our focus was primarily on serving clients and their families. It quickly became apparent that as leaders, our responsibility is just as much about being exceptional employers, because when we support our caregivers, they’re able to provide the outstanding care our clients depend on.
If you could change one thing with an eye toward the future of home care, what would it be?
Better access to care — in terms of having the workforce meet the growing demand for care and ensuring care is available to those who need it.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about an existential caregiver crisis. Many industries face workforce shortages, but few see a growing demand like home care, which only compounds the challenge. Addressing this will require a multi-faceted approach, with workforce development playing a critical role.
Americans are living longer, and especially considering the increasing number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, many will require significant care throughout their lives. Some of this care will be paid for through Medicaid or privately by families, but funding for home care is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.
Medicare Advantage has not provided the comprehensive coverage for home care that many hoped for. Expanding elder care tax credits and enhancing veteran benefits will be necessary.
Including home care as a standard benefit in Medicare and private insurance plans might be an aspirational goal, but it would be vital to ensuring better access and affordability.
What do you foresee as being different about the home care industry looking ahead to 2025?
The overall quality of care will continue to rise, not just by raising the ceiling but also by elevating the baseline standard of care. Several key factors drive this, including increased investment in our workforce, stronger collaboration across the health care continuum and a growing emphasis on accreditation and higher standards. We’ll see more consistent, high-quality care as providers embrace these changes.
In a word, how would you describe the future of home care?
Bright.
Our industry has evolved so much since I began my career 15 years ago, and I’m very excited about the advancements we’ll see over the next 15 years.
What quality must all Future Leaders possess?
The ability to innovate while staying true to mission. All Future Leaders must maintain a strong connection to their organization’s core values, even as they embrace new ideas and technologies that will continue to drive our industry forward.
To learn more about the Future Leaders program, visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/.
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