Developing a quality home care workforce to complement family caregivers and bridge the emerging care gap

Abstract

Abstract Home health and personal care aides are a large share of the health care workforce, with nearly three million people providing direct care for people with serious illness living in the community. The home care workforce is experiencing an increase in demand and is expected to add over one million new jobs by the year 2026. These workers play a crucial role in the delivery of aging services by acting as the eyes and ears for the health system. However, barriers to the development of a quality home care workforce exist. Low levels of recruitment and retention, a lack of formal training, variation in regulations across states and agencies, affordability of home care services, and a lack of data and research to inform evidence-based policy change are all challenges faced by the home care workforce. Policy makers, providers, researchers, and family caregivers should work together to fill gaps in knowledge, standardize competency-based training requirements, reform regulations to better utilize the home care worker, and advocate for more financial resources to ensure a sustainable career pathway for workers and the continuation of care for those who need it.