Growing Senior Population Will Increase Demand for Home Care Aides
Advanced medical research and technology are enabling more and more Americans to withstand acute and chronic illnesses and live longer, healthier lives. These advancements not only benefit the quality of life, but they also are leading to an increasing number of elderly Americans who will be relying on health care assistance in the coming years.

According to the US Bureau of the Census, an elderly population explosion is inevitable between the years 2010 and 2030 because of a combination of increased life expectancy and the onset of the baby boom generation reaching the age of 65. By the year 2030, one in every five US citizens will be elderly. The number of individuals aged 65 and older is expected to reach an all-time high of 50 million by 2020. The population of Americans aged 85 and older will double to 7 million.

This aging population will most likely rely on home care aide services more than any other generation. Low birth rates and long distance separation are reducing the number of children able to care for their elderly parents. Higher rates of divorce and women's increasing participation in the work force also are decreasing the availability of informal care. The unparalleled growth in the nation's older population will raise the demand for home care aide services to an all-time high.

Home Care Aide Issues Have Congressional Attention
The staffing issue for home care aides is directly related to wages, hours of work, and health insurance benefits. The Senate Government Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring and the District of Columbia held a hearing in July 2001 entitled "Who Cares for the Caregivers? The Role of Health Insurance in Promoting Quality Care for Seniors, Children and Individuals with Disabilities." Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) chaired the hearing.

Subsequent to the hearing, Senator Durbin introduced the long awaited Caregivers Access to Health Insurance Act of 2001, which would provide a federal subsidy for health insurance for low-income caregivers. More work will be necessary to make this bill a reality. However, it provides essential recognition concerning the paraprofessional workforce in home care.