As California’s population ages, the need for caregivers is increasing rapidly. Caregivers across the state have until the end of August to earn up to $6,000 by learning and applying caregiving skills through the CalGrows program. 

In a media briefing on August 14, hosted by Ethnic Media Services, a panel of experts discuss this initiative, managed by the California Department of Aging, which offers free classes through September 30. It also can be taken online or in-person, depending on one’s preference. However, to get that $6,000, they must register by August 31st. 

Speakers

  • Connie Nakano, Assistant Director, Office of Communications, California Department of Aging
  • Lidia Mawalu, Fijian caregiver and CalGrows trainee in Monterey County (not pictured)
  • Corrina Rucka, elderly client of Lidia Mawalu (not pictured)
  • Carmen Contreras, CalGrows trainee (not pictured)
  • Sean Hidalgo, Classes Manager, ACC Senior Services

What is CalGrows

Over the next decade, at least 10 million Californians will be over the age of 60.

California is already running short (about 3.2 million caregivers short), leading to serious issues such as long wait times and social isolation for older adults who require care the most.

Despite the high demand for care, “The program is tied to state funding that is expiring, so jump on this opportunity now,” said Connie Nakano. “Time is of the essence … You’re not only advancing your career, but also positively impact the lives of countless people in your community.”

The are over 600 courses, available to you in nine languages. They can range in duration from five-minute units to five-hour series. These courses are available in various formats, including in-person, online, live, and self-paced, covering topics such as CPR, dementia care, older adult nutrition, and older adult mental health.

Approximately 14,000 caregivers statewide have already completed a collective 89,000 courses receiving a payout of about $7 million all together. California’s nearly five million caregivers contribute about four billion collective hours annually to help their family and friends, a contribution valued at $63 billion each year.

This program is valuable for a typically underpaid sector of the health care industry. One in four direct care workers end up falling below the poverty line. In average, they make $20,000 a year.

“Caregiving isn’t one-dimensional, it isn’t just in a nursing facility or in-home. There’s care for all aspects of how people choose to age,” said Nakano. “That’s the purpose of CalGrows, to have a trained support system for everyone to choose how they’d like to age in place.”

Caregivers Share Their Stories

“CalGrows taught me, medically, what’s happening inside the seniors that cross my path, and how it affects their needs in daily life,” said Lidia Mawalu.

“It helped me with practical, physical preventive care at home — for example, nutrition, not falling, preparing blood pressure medication and cleaning catheters,” she continued. “I understood what I need to do to help the person’s life enjoyable, which is different with each person, even each day.”

“Back in Fiji, we grow up in extended families, so we fit caregiving into our school days and weekends. It’s an inbuilt thing in us, that as our population ages, we bring home to them, because the time given to them is so precious until the end of life,” Mawalu explained.

“My previous client used to tell me, ‘Do not grow old.’ and I’d say ‘Is there any other way out of old age?’ It was her funny way of telling me, ‘Let’s keep going in a positive way.’ And these courses have made me love the work of doing that for our elderly people,” she added. “‘Bula’ in our language means ‘life,’ and in the mornings Corrina and I call to each other, ‘bula,’ ‘bula’”

“’If I didn’t have Lydia there in the mornings, It would be very difficult, because as soon as I wake up, she’s there, and she’s asking me if I need anything, and she’s excellent. She’s very aware of my needs,” said Corrina Rucka. “She’ll ask and gauge how I’m feeling, and suggest things to do that day depending on that.”

“I put myself in her shoes,” added Mawalu. “We remind each other, ‘Have you drunk your water?’ Care is a mutual relationship, helping each other through life. We do it together.”

“Often, patients — especially those new to the illnesses they experience, or who don’t understand the doctors’ language — just need someone to be there and explain, step by step, everything they need to have the best quality of life that they can,” said Carmen Contreras.

“My father recently suffered a stroke, and with all the care and joy our family has given him, he’s about 90% recovered,” she continued. “Going through it together, our relationship of care changed. Now he depends on me a little more versus me always depending on him to move forward … With graduating, I feel more prepared to help him now.”

CalGrows graduates can receive an HHA or Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certificate, which can be renewed by continuing education.

This professional advancement is crucial given the low retention rate of caregivers in California. Over 21% of caregivers leave the field each year, with 40% transitioning out of the workforce and around 22% being unemployed when they leave.

As a certificate graduate, Contreras explained, “Now you can work in a hospital, maybe as a radiologist or phlebotomist, or as the requirement for Licensed Vocational Nurse or Registered Nurse programs. It opens up so many life-changing career paths to touch so many lives.”

“Working in a community setting, one class that really stuck with me was about symptoms in the process of aging, because not everyone ages the same or has the same needs in their life stages,” said Sean Hidalgo.

As the CalGrows program approaches its end, Hidalgo noted that the past few weeks at ACC have seen “a huge influx of people signing up for classes, whereas before I was the one registering everybody. We’ve been doing outreach to boost numbers, mainly with in-person presentations at other community centers and distributing flyers throughout the city in different languages.”

“What stands out to me the most is how flexible and accessible classes are, given the amount of skills you can learn for free and the money you can earn for it, and the fact that you’re able to better serve your loved ones as a result,” he added.

Caregivers can sign up for the program online at CalGROWS.org, by phone at (888) 991-7234, or by email at help@calgrows.org.