Despite growing demand for long-term care, the industry struggles with labor shortages, and experts worry about whether there will be enough workers in the future to care for America’s aging population.

The hardest part of Culix Wibonele’s first job in long-term care was not getting injured.

Originally from Kenya, Wibonele worked as a certified nursing assistant in Atlanta in 2014. She went to the homes of mostly older clients, helping them with everything from bathing to cooking. Wibonele worked alone and sometimes had to lift clients much bigger than her.

It was demanding work and paid only $9 per hour with no benefits. If not for Wibonele’s second job as a babysitter and her husband’s income, they would not have made ends meet while supporting their four children.

“My paycheck, you know, was literally just nothing,” Wibonele said. “I was kind of shocked, like, the amount of work we (were) expected to do and the pay you get at the end.”

Wibonele’s experience reflects broader trends in the long-term care workforce. Those who tend to older adults in settings like private homes and assisted living facilities across the U.S. face low wages and risk of injury while the industry struggles with staff shortages, CNHI News and The Associated Press found as part of an examination of the state of America’s long-term care.

Meanwhile, demand for these workers is rising as the population ages. By 2030, roughly 20% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older, and that share will continue to grow, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

  • Elextra
    1·
    6 months ago

    I’m not familiar with other skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) outside of California but I believe if the skilled nursing facilities in California are struggling to survive, there is a possibility that others would as well with this requirement. Already operating margins have been shown to be at break even or negative before Biden’s initiatives [1], [2][3, note to add, i can count on my fingers, 10 yrs in HC, how many ppl pay privately for SNF].

    The whole sector is honestly a mess unfortunately and I have so much to say. I will keep it simple though. I do not think the prices will rise or will be passed onto consumers like the above poster suggests because SNFs cannot control Medicare or MediCal reimbursement/payments (which is the bulk of their clientele). I think they will simply close down, especially with Bidens requirement, leaving less options for any patients needing short term care (iv abx before going home, wound care, rehab) and almost NO options for patients that don’t have money to live anywhere else. Already, sometimes I have to send long term pts 200+ miles because I can’t find any SNF beds closer. There has been a nursing shortage in SNF for so long, and Bidens requirement does not address any issues currently with the SNFs. And just adds a HUGE problem, likely to cause many SNFs to close down. That’s why I am against the nurse requirement.