Updates: COVID-19 and the Direct Care Workforce

*Last updated August 4, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered our world and created a growing crisis in the health and long-term care systems. Direct care workers are on the frontlines of this crisis, ensuring that older people and people with disabilities remain safe, healthy, and supported. These workers are also at risk of infection yet often lack the benefits and resources they need to support themselves when they get sick. Their employers—nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home care agencies, and others—are also in urgent need of financial support and practical guidance.

We’ve launched this resource page to provide regular updates on the implications of COVID-19 for the direct care workforce, including original articles and analysis from PHI, links to government resources, and any resource we develop to support both workers and providers through this epidemic. Together, we can get through this moment.

KEY PHI RESOURCES

Guidance for Providers. Here are five immediate steps that nursing homes, home care agencies, and other providers can take to support direct care workers through the COVID-19 crisis.

PHI Survey. We want to hear from long-term care employers, direct care workers & others about the barriers they’re facing to addressing the coronavirus. Please take 5 minutes to complete this ongoing survey, which will help inform our national response.

Support New York’s Direct Care Workforce. Help PHI and Cooperative Home Care Associates support these workers. Donate now.

Learn how our services and workforce innovations can support you in this time of crisis.

Contact our PHI experts, who can help explain the implications of this moment for direct care workers, the industry, and our government.

PHI ARTICLES, PUBLICATIONS & WEBINARS

• Is It Time for a Direct Care Workforce Vaccine Mandate? Maybe. (August 4, 2021)
• Temporary Nurse Aides Need Job Stability and Support (April 19, 2021)
• Will COVID-19 Change Direct Care Employment? (April 12, 2021)
• Direct Care Workers on the Frontline of COVID-19 (December 14, 2020)
• Would You Stay? Rethinking Direct Care Job Quality (October 13, 2020)
• The Workforce Training System Is Vital for COVID Recovery (July 6, 2020)
• Nursing Assistants Have Training Standards for a Reason (June 6, 2020)
• Dear Congress: Direct Care Workers Need Federal Support (May 27, 2020)
• Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis: Impacts on the Disability Community, National Academy of Social Insurance, Webinar (May 5, 2020)
• We Can Do Better—During COVID-19 and Beyond (April 28, 2020)
• The Case for Racial Equity in Aging Has Never Been Stronger (April 20, 2020)
• Caring for Yourself as You Care for Others: Guidance for Workers (April 17, 2020)
• New York State Offers Useful Lessons on How to Tackle COVID-19 (April 15, 2020)
• Training Direct Care Workers in a Pandemic Isn’t Impossible (April 13, 2020)
• Statement on Coronavirus: CHCA President Adria Powell (April 10, 2020)
• How One Home Care Worker Is Living Through the COVID-19 Crisis (April 7, 2020)
• We Surveyed Our Stakeholders on COVID-19. Here’s What We Learned. (April 6, 2020)
• How Can Long-Term Care Providers Navigate COVID-19? 5 Ideas. (March 30, 2020)
• How Can States Support Direct Care Workers during This Pandemic? (March 26, 2020)
• We Finally Have a Coronavirus Bill for Home Care Workers (March 23, 2020)
• Coronavirus: Statement from PHI President Jodi M. Sturgeon (March 20, 2020)
• Fighting the Coronavirus Requires a Strong Direct Care Workforce (March 12, 2020)

For other media coverage of direct care workers and the coronavirus, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

World Health Organization (WHO)

State health departments (CDC)

Local health departments (NACCHO)