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- Families get desperate about home care
Families get desperate about home care
Chronic shortage of workers, act of kindness that makes the job pure magic ✨
Our main focus 👀…
Caring for aging loved ones at home is the dream for many families, but a harsh reality is shattering that dream: it's simply too expensive. KFF's investigation reveals a landscape where most families can't afford agency-provided care, which averages a whopping $27 an hour. This leaves them scrambling for untrained caregivers found through word-of-mouth or online platforms, hoping for the best.
The problem isn't just sky-high costs. A chronic shortage of home care workers makes finding anyone, trained or not, a constant struggle. Over 3.7 million people currently work as home health or personal care aides, yet half earn less than $30,000 a year, or just $14.51 an hour. This low pay fuels a revolving door of workers, leaving families with unreliable and often inadequate care.
The numbers paint a grim picture:
8 million people aged 65+ need help with daily tasks, like getting out of bed. 3 million have no help at all.
The number of adults over 60 requiring long-term care will more than triple in the Americas over the next three decades, from around 8 million people today to between 27 million and 30 million by 2050.
Nearly 7 Million more home care workers will be needed over this decade.
The consequences are devastating, both emotionally and financially. Families are exhausted, stressed, and riddled with guilt. They watch their loved ones decline without the proper care they deserve. And the financial burden can be crushing, pushing families to the brink of poverty.
Good vibes 🤗…
Here’s a short dialogue between a dementia patient and a senior care provider…
Edna, bless her heart, forgot my name again today. "Who are you, sweetheart?" she chirps, eyes bright like Christmas lights. "You remind me of someone..." Then she grins... "Are you here to serve the queen’s pudding?" I burst out laughing, playing along. "Of course, your highness! And I gotta say, you’re sure dressed like a queen." We giggle, the pudding forgotten. For a minute, her memory fuzz fades away, replaced by pure, silly fun. It's in those moments, reminding someone they're still a queen, even without a crown, that I know this job is pure magic. ✨
Just for laughs 😂…
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