Caregivers and Quality in Long Term Care

Edward Salsberg, Ph.D.Executive DirectorCenter for Health Workforce StudiesSchool of Public HealthState University of New Yorkat Albany http://chws.albany.edu

The Health Workforce Crisis Serious shortages threatening ability to

deliver services The squeeze -- few new dollars and the

high cost of more workers Concerns with medical errors and quality Worker and management dissatisfaction Buried in paperwork and regulation Racial and ethnic imbalances Decreased interest in health careers Lack of systematic data on workforce

needs

Factors Contributing to Health Workforce Shortages

Short term factors Educational system response lags Rising demand Increasing case mix complexity

Long Term factors The aging of America: increasing demand

and decreasing supply of workers Increasing demand due to increasing

income, expanding interventions, and increased survival of individuals with chronic illness

Changing racial/ethnic mix Expanded career choices for women

Factors Contributing to Health Workforce Shortages, continued

Workplace factors Physically and emotionally demanding

work Non-competitive wages and benefits Job design and working conditions Paperwork and lack of information

systems Poorly trained managers

Employment in Health Care Is Expected to Grow Rapidly in Coming Years

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that employment in all health care occupations will grow by 29% between 2000 and 2010, twice as fast as the rest of the economy.

Total job openings due to growth and replacements between 2000 and 2010 are forecast to be:

Registered Nurses 1,004,000 Nurse Aides, Orderlies, Attendants 498,000 Home Health Aides 370,000 Personal and Home Care Aides 322,000 Licensed Practical Nurses 322,000

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Projections to 2010,

Monthly Labor Review, Nov 2001

Direct Care Workers Comprise the Majority of Workers in Long Term Care

Home Health Care Workforce 50% Home health aides and other aides 19% RNs 6% LPNs

Nursing Home Workforce 38% CNAs and other aides 11% LPNs 9% RNs

Long Term Care Aide Shortages:A. The Worker Perspective

Low wages and benefits (Certified Nurse Aide: $9.22 per hour; Home Health Aide: $8.38 per hour)

Alternative jobs Poor working conditions Difficult jobs – physically/mentally demanding Lack of career opportunities: dead end jobs Lack of recognition or status Poor treatment Gap between training and real job demands

Long Term Care Aide Shortages:B. The Provider Perspective

Too little reimbursement State and federal regulations and

oversight Poorly prepared workers High turnover Low unemployment rate Increasing patient acuity Growth in total number of jobs

State Government Roles Related to the Health Workforce

Licensure and regulation of health professionals

Regulation of health facilities Regulation of educational programs State colleges and universities Medicaid reimbursement policies and

regulation of private insurance Labor Department training programs and

employment data collection Employer in state facilities and agencies Health workforce data collection