The growth of the older adult population is placing pressure on a number of professions. The magnitude of this pressure will be immense for home- and community-based service (HCBS) providers. The workforce management challenges that this represents to providers must be met through a thorough professionalization of their workforce. A new brief by the Caregiving Project for Older Americans outlines the role that community colleges can play in this process.
Alongside the growth of the older adult population, there are two major factors operating that are increasing the demand for HCBS. First, many older adults express their desire to age in place in their own homes. Second, substantial funds have been allocated toward HCBS at both state and federal levels; the most recent example comes from the CLASS Act provisions in the 2010 health reform bill, which will provide daily cash benefits for HCBS. Medicaid is also increasingly directing funds into these services. This is exciting news for HCBS providers; however, it creates workforce-related challenges. Are the skills and education of the workforce going to match the ever-changing demands and caregiving needs of older adults in the future?
Currently, the education and skill level of the average HCBS worker falls short of these demands. This is partially due to wide variations in the availability and quality of caregiver training and education across America. Related/family caregivers often do not have the knowledge and resources they need to care for their loved ones. To fill the education and training gaps of both paid and family caregivers, community colleges must play a key role. They are in a position to offer timely education to the workforce and family caregivers through their existing health professions programs, such as Caregiver Training Initiatives, which has delivered certificate programs for home health aides, built home care into certified nursing assistant curriculum, provided skills and resource training for family caregivers, kick-started peer mentorship programs, and sponsored conferences and workshops about caregiving.
To meet the future demands of an aging population, these programs must be expanded through the nationwide network of community colleges and through online training programs for in-home and family caregivers. For more information, visit http://www.ilcusa.org/media/pdfs/CTI_Issue_Brief_Mar_2010.pdf.
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