AARP and Long-Term Care Study

Long-Term Care Workforce Unprepared to Handle Aging Population, AARP-Funded Report Finds AARP Endorses Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Health and Long-Term Care Workforce WASHINGTON – A new report today from the Institute of Medicine, funded in part by AARP, highlights the growing need for immediate action to improve and strengthen our health and long-term care workforce. Today, AARP is announcing its endorsement of bipartisan legislation that would help address the nation’s growing need to provide care for our aging population by encouraging training in geriatrics, gerontology and long-term care. “There are already 10 million Americans who need help with their daily activities, and that number will double by 2040,” said AARP President-Elect Jennie Chin Hansen. “Caregivers—whether they are geriatricians, home health nurses, social workers or home care aides—are going to become even more important to the health and long-term care workforce as the baby boomers age.” The bill, the “Caring for an Aging America Act of 2008” (S. 2708), is cosponsored by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME). In addition to steering caregivers towards geriatric and long-term care roles, the legislation creates a Health and Long-Term Care Workforce Advisory Panel to analyze this critical sector and make recommendations to tackle its changing needs. Today’s report from the Institute of Medicine, “Retooling for an Aging America,” finds that today’s workforce will not be prepared to handle the aging population. In particular, it recommends expanding education, recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and other caregivers. It also recommends enhancing the competence of individuals in the provision of geriatric care, redesigning models of care and broadening provider and patient roles to achieve greater flexibility to meet this compelling and urgent need for quality care. “We know the problem, and we know how to begin to fix it,” Hansen said. “We’re proud to support Senators Boxer and Collins in their effort to help not only the people who need care, but also the 44 million family caregivers who are currently sacrificing so much to care for the ones they love. A larger and better prepared workforce is needed to provide crucial support and assistance for family caregivers who cannot do it alone.” AARP will submit testimony for Wednesday’s hearing on workforce and family caregiving in the Senate Special Committee on Aging. To receive a copy of the testimony, please contact AARP Media Relations. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit http://www.aarp.org to learn more about how you can make a difference. I received this in an email from PHI.