The Eldercare/Disability Direct Care Workforce:

Invisible, Underutilized and Essential

Steven L. DawsonPresident

9 March 2009

Healthcare jobs = essential to U.S. economy

LTC is essential to healthcare employment

LTC will be increasingly essential…

And DCW jobs are essential to LTC

And even though losing ground…

DC workers will be increasingly essential…

DC workforce—massive yet invisible

By 2016, there will be more direct-care

workers (4 million) than: Teachers from K through 12 (3.8 m.)

Registered nurses (3.1 m.)

Fast food & counter workers (3.5 m)

Waiters & waitresses (2.6 m.)

Cashiers (3.4 m.)

– Soon to be 4,000,000 strong

– Already investing $56 billion/year

– Providing 8 out of every 10 hours of paid care

…A substantial human capital asset that is available to improve quality services

DC workers—an underutilized resource…

Re-write the job description for DC workers

• Home-care “front line” for chronic disease management

• Continuing care workers—trained across settings

• Wellness and prevention educational role

• Liaisons to family caregivers offering skills & supports

There is no mystery here…

Collaborating for a Stronger Eldercare Workforce

Steven L. Dawson (PHI)Nancy E. Lundebjerg (AGS)Alliance Co-Conveners

Project Director: Alice H. Hedt www.eldercareworkforce.org

ahedt@eldercareworkforce.org

Eldercare Workforce Alliance

AARP Council on Social Work Education

Alzheimer’s Association Direct Care Alliance

American Academy of Nursing Family Caregiver Alliance

American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Gerontological Society of America

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

National Alliance for Caregiving

American Geriatrics Society** National Council on Aging

American Medical Association National Hispanic Council on Aging

American Medical Directors Association

NCCNHR – The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-term Care

American Nurses Association NCB Capital Impact/THE GREEN HOUSE® Project

American Psychological Association

New York Academy of Medicine/Social Work Leadership Institute

American Society of Consultant Pharmacists

PHI**

American Society on Aging Visiting Nurse Associations of America

Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations

Eldercare Workforce Alliance members

**Alliance Co-conveners

The Eldercare/Disability Direct Care Workforce:

Invisible, Underutilized and Essential

Steven L. DawsonPresident

SDawson@PHInational.org