Today, the Eldercare Workforce Alliance is excited to announce the launch of a new feature – the EWA Blog!
As a coalition of 31 national organizations joined together to address the immediate and future workforce crisis in caring for an aging America, this blog will serve as a platform for sharing the workforce perspective on critical issues happening in Washington DC and around the country.
Currently, a combination of demographic forces is causing an aging of American society. However, the current health care workforce is not large enough to meet older patients’ needs and the scarcity of workers specializing in the care of older adults – the eldercare workforce – is even more pronounced. It is estimated that by 2030, 3.5 million additional health care professionals and direct-care workers will be needed to adequately care for our older loved ones.
Thanks to initial support and continued backing from the John A. Hartford Foundation, the new EWA blog will bring together members of our coalition, professionals, workers in the field, and experts in aging to raise awareness about these critical topics and provide practical solutions for moving forward.
Each month, the blog will feature a compelling and timely piece that highlights the state of our eldercare workforce, interesting policies and programs happening in the US, and personal stories from those in the field. We aim to share expert and everyday perspectives on a range of issues that impact our workers and those they care for, with the ultimate goal of stimulating discussion and influencing policy change.
The blog will feature inside perspectives on cutting edge research and reports, stories from those out in the field every day, and outlooks on what is, can, and should be done across the country to address important needs. Looking ahead at 2016, we already anticipate several important topics making an appearance on the site:
- With Presidential and Congressional elections coming this fall, we will highlight where candidates stand and work to raise the profile of eldercare workforce issues in national policy debates.
- New reports on chronic care, caregiving, and the geriatric workforce will provide information that enhance our understanding of the current eldercare workforce landscape and what we as a community can do to satisfy unmet needs.
- We will also focus on innovative Veterans Affairs programs that garner important data and outcomes for future development of successful models to improve the care for the wider aging population.
- Finally, EWA will highlight the work – big and small – being done by our coalition members, federal partners, and industry experts who work tirelessly to effect positive change across the workforce continuum.
We hope you will join the conversation by visiting each month and engaging in discussions around these critical issues.
We look forward to sharing the eldercare workforce perspective with you this year, and for years to come.