Report: 5 Million Home Health Jobs Will Need To Be Filled By 2040

Home Health Care News | By Patrick Filbin
 
Home health employment is expected to rise steadily.
 
The industry will eventually have to fill an estimated 5 million jobs by 2040, according to a new report.
 
Those numbers are according to a new study that took a closer look at the steady growth of the senior care industry and what the job market will look like as demand continues to rise.
 
From Argentum, “The Workforce Projections for Senior Care” uses forecasts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It found that total employment in the senior care industry is projected to reach 8.3 million by 2040. That’s a more than 42% increase from where it is today.
 
Home health care specifically is projected to hit 2.2 million by 2040, a 45.7% increase from 1.5 million in 2021. Home health represents the largest projected rise of all the senior care industries – more than senior living, skilled nursing and services for the elderly with disabilities.
The report points out that the 45.7% increase is just in new jobs. In addition to the new jobs, there will be an estimated 4.4 million open jobs by 2040 due to employees leaving the industry, either by retiring or transferring to a new line of work.
 
“In total, the home health care industry will need to fill more than 5 million occupational openings between 2021 and 2040,” the report found.
 
Looking at a more near-term growth projection, employment growth is expected to be at nearly 20% from 2021 to 2030. That would mean the home health industry would see more than 297,000 new jobs and an additional 1.9 million job openings.
 
Elsewhere in the report, Argentum makes the case that while the senior population grows, the workforce is not keeping pace, particularly in the senior care industry.
 
“The senior population is increasing by 10,000 per day — more than at any other time in history — and the need for senior living and the socialization and care we provide in our communities will never be greater,” the report read. “We are facing a significant worker shortage across the economy generally but within senior care, in particular.”
 
Among the positions needed, home health and personal care aides top the list, followed by nursing assistants and registered nurses.

Who is Most at Risk for Long COVID?

Harvard Medical School | By Jake Miller

A new study of more than 800,000 people has found that in the U.S., COVID "long haulers" were more likely to be older and female, with more chronic conditions than people in a comparison group who—after getting COVID—did not have diagnosed long COVID or any of the symptoms associated with long COVID. The findings are published in the March issue of Health Affairs.

The national study, which focused on people with private insurance or Medicare Advantage coverage, aims to inform public health and clinical care by advancing the understanding of who gets long COVID.

As one of the largest studies of long COVID in the U.S. to date, in terms of the number and diversity of people studied and the length of time symptoms and diagnoses were followed, the study solidifies many previous insights about the demographics and clinical profile of people most likely to get sick.

It also provides new information to consider about the complex interaction of COVID-19 in patients with previously diagnosed chronic illnesses.

"This work in a large population helps to address the question of who is more at risk of long COVID," said Zirui Song, associate professor in the Department of Health Care Policy in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, lead author of the article.

"This may help clinicians and health care organizations screen, monitor, and treat patients more effectively. It may also help individuals, who know their own medical history, better assess their risk of long COVID and the value of protecting against getting COVID-19 in the first place," Song said.

The study's findings also indicate that symptoms of long COVID can appear or persist much longer after initial infection than many previous studies had suggested.

Most earlier work showed a peak of long COVID symptoms and diagnoses within the first six months of a person's initial COVID-19 diagnosis, the authors note, but the new research shows another, smaller peak around one year, which the authors note was significantly longer than the follow-up period of most initial studies.

Read Full Article

FDA Authorizes Pfizer Covid Booster For Kids As Young As 6 Months

Kaiser Health News 

The shot is for children who were previously vaccinated with three doses of the original vaccine. In other covid-related news, operators of an upscale Los Angeles care facility for dementia patients were charged Tuesday with felony elder abuse.

CNBC: FDA Authorizes Pfizer's Covid Omicron Booster As Fourth Shot For Kids Under 5The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized Pfizer’s omicron booster shot for kids under five years old who were previously vaccinated with three doses of the company’s original vaccine.  Children six months through four years old who completed their three-dose primary series with Pfizer and BioNTech’s original monovalent shots more than two months ago are now eligible to receive a single booster dose of the updated shot. The new shot is bivalent, meaning it targets the original Covid strain as well as omicron BA.4 and BA.5. (Constantino, 3/14)

HHS Releases Initial Guidance for Historic Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for Price Applicability Year 2026

For the first time in history, Medicare will have the ability to negotiate lower prescription drug prices because of the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden’s historic law which lowers health care and prescription drug costs. Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), issued initial guidance detailing the requirements and parameters—including requests for public comment— on key elements of the new Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for 2026, the first year the negotiated prices will apply. Alongside other provisions in the new drug law, the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program will strengthen Medicare’s ability to serve people currently in Medicare and for generations to come.

“For far too long, millions of Americans have had to choose between their prescription drugs and other monthly expenses,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “President Biden is leading the fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs – and with the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re making historic progress. Through the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, we will make sure seniors get a fair price on Medicare’s costliest prescription drugs, promote competition in the market, and ensure Medicare is strong for beneficiaries today and into the future.”

“Drug price negotiation is a critical piece of how this historic law improves the Medicare program,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “By considering factors such as clinical benefit and unmet medical need, drug price negotiation intends to increase access to innovative treatments for people with Medicare.”…

View a fact sheet - PDF on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Initial Guidance

Read the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Initial Guidance - PDF

Read the Full Press Release