FACTS 1 (pdf) presents the latest occupational employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the three official job titles that make up the direct-care workforce: nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal and home care aides. These projections continue to suggest that, over the next decade, the nation’s direct-care workforce will constitute the largest, fastest-growing group of jobs in the country.

FACTS 3 (pdf) provides a detailed overview of the current demographic and economic characteristics of the direct-care workforce. PHI experts compiled FACTS 3 from several sources, but the fact sheet particularly highlights data on direct-care workers available in the March 2009 Supplement of the Current Population Survey.

“We are pleased to provide this up-to-date information on the country’s direct-care workforce,” says Dorie Seavey, PHI’s director of policy research. “PHI is the only organization in the country that provides these annual updates. These numbers are critical to building the case for improving the quality of direct-care jobs so that Americans can receive the long-term services and supports that they need.”

PHI has also updated its chart gallery to reflect this new information. The gallery contains nearly two dozen charts and graphs, all of which are available for download. The graphics cover several topics: occupational growth, industry employment, supply and demand, wages, and health insurance.

FACTS 1

Subtitled “Occupational Projections for Direct-Care Workers 2008-2018,” FACTS 1 shows that the nation’s direct-care workforce, which totaled 3.2 million in 2008, will have to increase to 4.3 million by 2018 in order to meet rising demand.

Home health aides and personal and home care aides are predicted to be the third and fourth fastest-growing occupations over the decade. All three direct-care jobs are on the list of the top 10 occupations expected to generate the most new jobs by 2018.

Additionally, by 2018, direct-care workers are expected to outnumber other large occupation groups, such as K-12 teachers and registered nurses.

FACTS 3

FACTS 3 — “Who Are Direct-Care Workers?”– presents a broad overview of the direct-care workforce. It provides the latest data on everything from average wages to state-by-state employment levels to demographic information.

New in this year’s update are state-by-state employment figures for direct-care workers, and also a one-page insert called “The Direct-Care Worker at a Glance, 2008” (pdf). The latter uses a graphic format to provide detailed demographic and economic information including age, race/ethnicity, median earnings, health insurance status, educational levels, and reliance on public benefits.

– by Matthew Ozga