Strategies for Improving and Sustaining Workforce Well-Being

Defining, Valuing, and Enhancing Direct Care Worker Well-Being 

Presenters: 

• Kezia Scales, PhD (Vice President of Research & Evaluation, PHI) 
• Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, PhD (Director, Office of Aging and People with Disabilities, Oregon Department of Human Services) 

Summary:

This session will focus on the wellbeing of direct care workers who provide long-term services and supports, defining wellbeing as a multi-faceted concept with structural, organizational, interpersonal, and individual components. The session will begin with an overview of the direct care workforce and the policy and practice context in which they work, followed by a close analysis of the key drivers and barriers to wellbeing for these workers. The presenters will discuss policy and practice strategies to enhance direct care workers’ wellbeing, and encourage participants to consider how they can each contribute to better wellbeing for this essential workforce and the older adults, people with disabilities, families, and communities that they support.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the direct care workforce in terms of size, demographics, key roles and responsibilities, employment conditions, and workforce trends.

• Define at least three drivers of wellbeing for direct care workers.

• Discuss at least two policy or practice strategies for enhancing direct care workers’ wellbeing.

Compassion Fatigue: Strategies to Recognize and Reduce Burnout 

Presenter:

• Chris Eilers, MA, LPC (Lane County Older Adult Behavioral Health Specialist) 

Summary:

This presentation will explore workforce strategies to reduce burnout in healthcare settings, where secondary and vicarious trauma are likely to occur.

Learning Objectives:

• Be able to define compassion fatigue

•  Be able to describe the impact of trauma/toxic stress on the workforce

•  Be able to identify opportunities that support professional resilience

•  Be able to identify practical strategies for self-care and connection

Continuing Education Credits

Stay tuned for more information. 

This is the third of four sessions of OGA's 2025 virtual conference. You can register for individual sessions or, at a discount, for the entire conference series. For an overview of all sessions, please visit the conference page.

Register here!

Kezia Scales, PhD, is the Vice President of Research & Evaluation for PHI, a national organization committed to promoting quality direct care jobs as the foundation of quality care for older adults and people with disabilities. In her role, Kezia leads PHI’s strategy for building the evidence base on state and national policies and workforce interventions that improve direct care job quality, elevate this essential workforce, and strengthen care processes and outcomes. Kezia currently serves on the Family Caregiving Advisory Council convened by the Administration for Community Living, co-leads the Advancing Workforce Analysis and Research for Dementia (AWARD) Network, and represents PHI as a core partner and subject matter expert for the national Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, among other contributions. Kezia is based in Durham, NC.

Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, PhD, was named Director of the Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) for the Oregon Department of Human Services in September 2022 after serving as the division's interim director. A social justice leader who has served the State of Oregon since 2010, Nakeshia's expertise is in setting the strategic vision for human services organizations in collaboration with the communities they serve. She has more than 25 years of health and human services experiences, both international and domestic, that have focused primarily in the public sphere. She previously served as APD's Equity Strategy Manager, a role in which she established a foundation for APD to systemically embed equity protocols in all policy and rulemaking as well as in its operations. Prior to rejoining ODHS in 2021, she served as the Senior Advisor for Equity Initiatives in Oregon's Early Learning Division. Her other roles with the Division included Director of Grants and Operations and Director of Programs and Cross Systems Integration. Earlier in her career she worked for APD as the Aging and Disability Resource Connection Coordinator and Interim Manager for the State Unit on Aging. Nakeshia earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Portland State University, holds a Master's Degree in Social Welfare and has completed significant graduate studies in health policy, management and behavior at the State University of New York at Albany. She also has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Ohio University.

Christopher R Eilers, MA, LPC, has earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Oregon State University, a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Pacific University, and a Masters of Arts in Counseling from Bushnell University. He is currently recognized by the State of Oregon as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Christopher began his career in Behavioral Health Services in 2005 at the Center for Family Development, providing individual and family therapy to adolescents with co-occurring disorders. Next, he served adults identified with SMI at Lane County Behavioral Health by providing individual and group therapy, as well as case management. In 2011, he transitioned to an administrative and leadership role when he joined Lane Care, an organization responsible for managing the Behavioral Health system for Medicaid recipients in Lane County. He joined the Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative in 2016. Since joining the OABH Initiative, Christopher has been certified by many training organizations including: Mental Health First Aid, Connect Suicide Prevention/Post-vention, W.I.S.E., The Alzheimer’s Association, Trauma Informed Oregon, PEARLS, and the Crisis Prevention Institute. As an educator, Christopher has focused on providing enlightening and relevant training to healthcare and aging services providers, as well as to the community at large. He has also been directly involved in the development of curriculum that presents new information and ideas about mental health and aging to a variety of healthcare providers and community members. He continues to integrate new evidence and approaches into improving the lives of older adults and people with disabilities.

 Supporting Sponsors for this session: 

Session Sponsors for this session: 

The entire conference series is sponsored by: