May 26, 2022 Washington, DC — As Older Americans Month (OAM) comes to a close, over 250 providers, caregivers, policymakers and other aging services sector stakeholders from across the United States. gathered virtually today to address the two critical sets of issues—awareness of and access to available services when help is needed—that prevent people from achieving their desire to “Age My Way,” this year’s OAM theme set by the Administration for Community Living. 

“Our country has some serious work to do. Older adults and families simply don’t know what’s available—and even when they do know what they want, they don’t always know how to get it. At the same time, our population is aging. Demand for more options is only growing, and our system isn’t prepared,” said Roberto Muñiz, President/CEO Parker and board member of LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, which convened the event. 

“COVID has shown us that it’s all the more critical that we help the public come to know our field,” noted Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge. “The majority of people who’ve had experience with aging services are more likely to have a positive sentiment about services and providers—and 70% are likely to recommend aging services to others. That tells us that the care, services and housing we provide are valued. We just need to be sure more Americans are aware of them.”

But, as the share of the population aged 65+ grows from 15% to 21.6% by 2040 as projected, the reality is that more, not less, help will be needed. Seventy percent of people over 65 will require some sort of paid care. Current access to care issues, which exist across all settings and create hardship and challenges for older adults from all walks of life, will only grow.  

More than 8 million direct care jobs in the long-term care sector will need to be filled between 2018 and 2028 as existing workers leave the field or exit the labor force altogether, researchers say. Nursing homes across the country have been forced to limit admissions—or to close entirely—because there are not enough direct caregiving professionals to provide quality care. In Minnesota, for example, 11% of nursing homes, and 20% of assisted living providers, face closure due to significant increases in operating expenses, including labor costs. 

Participants in today’s discussion provided an overview of issues followed by recommended actions. 

Affordable housing:  “An array of federal housing programs exist to help older adults afford quality, accessible housing. But wait lists are long—one to five, six, or more years—because the need for affordable senior housing far outpaces the supply. The vast majority of current funding goes toward preservation of existing affordable housing. That’s critical – but not a substitute for building and providing operating subsidies to meet the current and growing need.” –Linda Couch, VP, Housing Policy and Services, LeadingAge

Home and community-based services: “Many older adults want to age at home, but the access to services and supports that make that desire realistic is lacking. Workforce challenges and underfunding of services, such as adult day and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, limit access.” 

– Mollie Gurian, VP, Home Based and HCBS Policy, LeadingAge

Workforce: “Workforce stability is dependent upon the ability to pay a living wage. We will continue to have a transient workforce if we continue to be reimbursed at a rate that keeps caregivers living in poverty. Pay needs to be commensurate with skill, training, responsibility. We need to join together to educate lawmakers on their role in this. Every individual must do their part: we need federal-level, state-level, community-level, and provider-level solutions.” 

– Jenna Kellerman, Director Workforce Strategy & Development, LeadingAge

Policy: “Just this week the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on health worker burnout. LeadingAge members see the reality of that burnout everyday. We agree with Dr Murthy that more than gratitude is needed; an urgent debt of action is owed. Our nation and its policies must value and support health care workers with a range of immediate actions. 

The first thing we all think about with federal solutions is funding. And that’s important:  funding is critical. But that’s only part of the solution. Without staff, there is no care. We need more people. Our nation and its policies must value and support health care workers with a range of immediate actions—in education and training, in immigration and addressing price gouging by staffing agencies.” 

– Katie Smith Sloan, President and CEO, LeadingAge

Materials:

• Speaker Bios
• Webinar recording
• Handout: Aging Services Options 
• Handout: Challenges to Accessing Aging Services 
• Making Care Work Pay, LeadingAge LTSSCenter@UMass Boston report, released Sept. 2020 (executive summary here)
• Feeling Valued Because They Are Valued, LeadingAge LTSSCenter @UMass Boston report, released July 2021 (executive summary here)
• The Gap Remains: Social Security Benefits Continue to Fall Short of Covering Basic Cost of Living for Older Americans, 2015-2020 by Jan Mutchler and Yang Li, researchers, LeadingAge LTSSCenter @UMass Boston
• Opening Doors to Aging Services (public opinion polling, executive summary here)
• Website to raise awareness: Keep Leading Life

We represent more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-minded organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we use applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership, which now includes the providers of the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, encompasses the continuum of services for people as they age, including those with disabilities. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org.