How Families Can Overcome The Caregiver Shortage Crisis

It is the era of the Baby Boomer. According to census.gov, By 2020, in the United States ten thousand seniors will turn 65 every day. 75% of these seniors are living with a chronic physical or cognitive health concern. The total number of Boomers will likely double in the next 10 years. By the year 2030, all Baby Boomers will be age 65 or older. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes are highly in demand from this massive shift of seniors who are no longer able to remain at home. This means that the care and wellbeing of seniors has subtly shifted to family members. Often these family members are already managing a full schedule with careers, and families of their own. In 2018, over $103 billion was spent on caregivers for home health care. There is a tremendous need for caregivers, with 7.8 million new jobs becoming available in the next few years. The substance of these jobs can vary from administering actual healthcare at home to helping with personal hygiene, cooking, cleaning, and shopping.The cost of in-home health care is expected to top $173 billion by 2026, with the demand continuously increasing. As a matter of fact, the demand is unable to keep up with the need.

Needed Reform In The Profession
Most home healthcare workers are making on average $10.00 per hour with no benefits. These workers are perform duties ensuring the health and safety of our senior population.
In 2016, approximately 3,000,000 homecare workers were earning less than $12.00 per hour.

The $15.00 Wage Dilemma
Many large companies, from Amazon to fast food restaurants, have begun instituting a $15.00 minimum wage. With an already tight market for workers, more and more workers have an incentive to seek employment with larger corporations creating a more robotic style of care for families. This increase in wages hurts our most vulnerable population the most, our seniors.Sure, increasing the pay for caregivers may initially attract some new faces. However over time we know this increase in wages will only drive the cost of goods up all around, effectively erasing the increase.

Burden on Family
Many family members attempt to care for elderly relatives themselves. This can be extremely stressful, especially when these members have their own families and full-time jobs. When such members need the help of a homecare professional, Medicare may only provide very limited coverage. Any additional cost must be met by the senior him or herself. In San Diego, families can expect to pay anywhere from $27 to $40 and up per hour from a caregiver.

Changes Are Needed
With the dire need for more home care personnel, an attitude change toward the job is in dire order. If such a shortage continues, the expanding number of baby boomers is further put at risk. They will find themselves without enough assisted living facilities or properly trained home care assistants.

Additional training is especially needed in the area of physical therapy for seniors who are developing limited mobility or other disorders. Training in managing dementia, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes is also desperately needed. With improved training for homecare care workers, it would free much needed space at hospitals and nursing homes.

Resistant to this needed training comes from a number of nursing unions, who insist that certain jobs can only be performed by actual nurses rather than aides. However, these aides would not be interfering with any nursing jobs. They would be offering much-needed assistance and work directly under a nurse’s or doctor’s supervision.

Home Healthcare Agencies Are Facing A Depleting Workforce
Our new generation is being called on to step up and provide the care for our aging population. Teaching them early about the importance of fulfilling this type of care is the only way to provide the support for our Seniors.
Agencies that provide better and increased training have found that their turnover rate decreases by 25 percent. Better recognition, such as an award system, may also help reduce the turnover rate.
Creating an educational vision for home care assistants to see where the career path can be taken can also help attract new talent to the industry.

Conclusion
As our society ages, the need for proper home healthcare is becoming increasingly in demand. The pool of staff has not moved to keep up with these demands. A logical way to justify better Medicare coverage is to understand that the alternative may involve moving a senior to a nursing home, the cost of which will be thousands of dollars a month.
Finding good care these days is not an easy task. We can help!
Call us to ensure quality care for your elderly loved one who wishes to remain at home and live independently.
Give us a call today and speak with an advisor! We can have a caregiver in your home providing assistance asap!

Give us a call today at (858)774-8528.