PHI has released an issue brief called Direct-Care Jobs & Long-Term Care: Untapped Engine for Job Creation & Economic Growth that outlines how direct-care jobs are uniquely positioned to help repair and stabilize America’s economy.
The issue brief provides compelling facts and figures about the impact of the direct-care workforce that our nation’s leaders must take into consideration as they develop and implement strategies for economic recovery.
Key facts from the issue brief:
- In 2006, only two other industries employed more people than long-term care: elementary and secondary schools and general and medical surgical hospitals.
- Personal and home care aides and home health aides are the second and third fastest-growing occupations in the nation’s economy.
- Direct-care jobs are a $56 billion economic engine fueled by the personal income of 3 million workers who spend their money largely in their local communities.
- Investment in these jobs would benefit our economy in multiple ways: providing more income and greater economic opportunity to low-income workers while also strengthening health services for our aging and disabled populations.
Please take the time to read and distribute this important document. We also welcome you to share your ideas and reflections in the comments area below.
I belong to Family Advocates of Heritage Christian Services, an agency that has developed residential, day habilitation, and service coordination services for people with developmental challenges. Our advocacy has centered on the need to hire and retain a quality direct care workforce, the backbone of any residential program. I recently responded to one of your articles indicating that I felt an economic stimulus program might be better aimed at the direct care workforce, since it is one of the fastest growing areas of employment, the need for which is also growing as our baby boomers age. At a recent legislative breakfast that our agency hosted, one of our state senators indicated how important a mere %5 increase in our state’s Medicaid reimbursement would be in the dollar amount it provided. I took that figure and used the Families USA calculator to determine how that %5 might impact $ amounts in business development, wages and salaries, and job growth. The resulting figures were astounding, strongly in agreement with the premise promoted in your brief. I’ve shared your brief with others in my advocacy group, hopefully to be used in our ongoing message to our legislators, both state and federal, of appropriately funding those wonderful people without whose commitment to the daily care of our developmentally challenged adult children there would be no residential program.
I read your report with some amazement — given the increased focus given to paying immediate family members to care for their elderly parents. Yes our economy is in a downturn and yes, our unemployment numbers are rising – and yes, non-medical caregivers could give a boost to our economy.
Therefore it makes simply no sense for medicaid to promote paying immediate family members to provide the care that by God and History they should do anyway.
Every since 1602 (England Poor Law) the western world has been steadfast in it’s committment to filial support laws. Each son and/or daughter has an OBLIGATION to support and care for their elderly parents. To demand money from the Government in this situation slaps us all in the face.
End immediately these medicaid payments to immediate relatives — this will only lead to the total destruction of the nuclear family and make us all dependent on the government.
Wake up America — this is simply wrong.
In response to “A Proud Son” above, his comment: “Each son and/or daughter has an OBLIGATION to support and care for their elderly parents” is one I agree with in part but I have to also add that not all sons/daughters are independently wealthy enough to take time off from work and provide 24/7 care to their parents. Rent and utilities still need to be paid and working eight or more hours a day leads to severe burnout if one has to continue to work another entire “shift” upon returning home. Caring for vulnerable adults is a difficult and demanding task. Physically (and mentally!) strenuous, and at times – dangerous (Think dementia). Having the government reimburse family members for the time spent caring for their own family members is a solution I support. Not everyone can afford to just stay home and care for those in need – no matter how badly one wants to. It’s just not realistic.