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 will shape the next decade of home health, hospice care, senior housing, skilled nursing and behavioral health. To view this year’s Future Leaders, visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/.
Alex Oosterveen, co-founder and CEO of Miami-based Caribou Health Technologies, has been named a 2024 Future Leader by Home Health Care News.
Future leaders must be nominated by their peers: Candidates must be high-performing employees under the age of 40, passionate workers who know how to put a vision into action, advocates for older adults and dedicated professionals who ensure the well-being of older adults.
Oosterveen spoke with Home Healthcare News about his career trajectory and how home care agencies can attract and retain top talent in the future.
What first got you interested in this industry?
I was drawn to home care because it has such an impact on people’s lives. My mother worked as a caregiver, and she and her colleagues were incredibly dedicated but often undervalued.
Agency operators face steep challenges in the home care industry. Thin margins and low reimbursement rates make it extremely difficult to provide fair wages and adequate staff hiring resources while still turning a profit.
While working on large home care M&A transactions in my early 20s, I became fascinated with how technology could help agencies attract, retain and motivate great staff.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting in the industry?
Spend time with frontline caregivers and coordinators. They are the driving force behind home care. You need to shadow them to understand the challenges they face.
Looking ahead to the future of home health care, if you could change one thing, what would it be?
Making caregivers true partners in client health outcomes can increase financial rewards for caregivers.
Looking ahead to 2025, what changes do you think we will see in the home health industry?
He expects more young people to pursue careers in this field, drawn by the sense of meaning and connection.
In one sentence, how would you describe the future of home health care?
Permission was given.
If you could give some advice to your younger self on your first day in the industry, what would you tell them and why?
Recognize that every home care market is different. When building a scalable solution, it’s important to know when to be flexible and when to iterate.
For more information about the Future Leaders program, please visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/
