‘Crisis mode’: As boomers age, a shortage of caregivers
The first article I found is by Robert Channick for the Chicago Tribune. In the article he talks about how the baby boomer generation is aging fast. and their is a shortage of caregivers to assist with those individuals. The caregiver industry is rapidly growing, and it’s outgrowing the supply of caregivers. In addition, he states that, “Consumers paid a national median rate of $22 an hour for caregiver services, or more than $49,000 per year, according to the report, which was based on surveys of more than 15,000 service providers.” (Chicago Tribune, 2017) He goes on to state that health insurance doesn’t cover the cost of caregiving, so this money comes straight from the clients. This can be extremely costly for the clients, but it is also necessary in most cases. In some cases, clients can purchase Long-Term Care insurance which does cover the costs. However, as Channick says, it’s due to, “…rising premiums and a dearth of providers…” (CT, 2017) This is something I’ve noticed at my internship when I process the claims forms and invoices for LTC clients. Only about ten in the almost 80 clients we currently care for have LTC insurance.
The article shows just how needed caregivers are. With more and more clients calling every day, they’ve almost become a necessity. These people become part of their client’s lives, and become attached in ways that I never thought possible. They’re sorely needed, so much so that Care Partners at Home, along with its competitors, has started offering incentives for joining the company. We are currently offering $400 as a sign on bonus, and another $250 for referring a friend. I was able to discuss this through our hiring flyer, and see how many people gain interest in the company. In the time I’ve been with the company, I’ve seen at least 30 new hires go through orientation. I’d like to think it’s because they love what they do and not for the money, but in this industry we need all the help we can get.
Who Will Care for the Caregivers?
The second article I found is by Dhruv Khullar for the New York Times. In the article he states some interesting facts about caregivers, showing, “According to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, the typical family caregiver is a 49-year-old woman caring for an older relative — but nearly a quarter of caregivers are now millennials and are equally likely to be male or female. About one-third of caregivers have a full-time job, and 25 percent work part time. A third provide more than 21 hours of care per week. Family caregivers are, of course, generally unpaid, but the economic value of their care is estimated at $470 billion a year — roughly the annual American spending on Medicaid.” (New York Times, 2017) After my time with Care Partners I can verify some of these to be true. First, it is a pretty equal spread between Male and Female caregivers. Some clients will only want one or the other, so having equal representation is very important. Also, a minority of caregivers are millennial. I haven’t seen more than maybe five out of the 30 new caregivers I talked about in the last section to be millennial, most of them are older. Finally, almost every caregiver I’ve done paperwork on, or talked to, does at least 40 hours a week of caregiving, not 21. They may do 21 at a single agency, but MANY caregivers work for multiple to get the hours and pay they need.
This article is very important because not only does it share interesting facts about caregiving, but also highlights some of the many duties that they have. From bathing to cooking, travel to activities, these caregivers do so much to make sure that seniors feel comfortable and loved before they either move clients, or the client passes on. If you know anyone who is interested in caregiving, this article is worth reading.
References
Robert Channick. (2017, December 17). ‘Crisis mode’: As boomers age, a shortage of caregivers. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on July 1, 2018, from http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-caregivers-demand-aging-20171116-story.html
Dhruv Khullar. (2017, January 19). Who Will Care for the Caregivers? New York Times. Retrieved on July 1, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/upshot/who-will-care-for-the-caregivers.html
Care Partners at Home Internship 