Like many other countries, the United States is facing a crisis with aging. Our senior population is growing dramatically, faster than any other age group (1). Projections indicate that by 2050, there will be almost 84 million individuals aged 85 and above (2).
This pattern of growth is already placing major strain on our current systems and the resources that are available.
At the same time, many families do not have the tools or time to actively care for their aging relatives. This is particularly true for people in the ‘sandwich’ generation who may need to support children and elderly family members.
As a result of these challenges, the demand for paid direct care workers is growing dramatically, with estimates suggesting that there will be 7.4 million direct care jobs by 2029.
With all this demand, being a direct care worker can be a promising and rewarding direction, either as a career or just as a way to get paid for caregiving.
Now, the field of direct care workers is large and complicated. For example, there are multiple different job titles, which vary in their specific roles and responsibilities.
These include:
- Home Health Aides
- Personal Care Aides
- Personal Care Attendants
- Nursing Aide/Certified Nursing Assistants
- Formal Caregivers
- Direct Caregivers
Direct care workers may be hired by a family, or the senior in need of care, an agency. The criteria and considerations for each specific role and situation can vary considerably, along with differences between physical locations.
With all of these complexities, becoming a paid caregiver can seem like an extremely confusing and overwhelming field.
To help with these challenges, we are developing a comprehensive guide on becoming a paid caregiver. This guide covers many different areas about getting involved as a paid caregiver, including the requirements and responsibilities for different direct care roles and effective ways to find work.
Key components of the guide include the following:
- Workforce Growth and Demand
- Payment Options when Working for Family
- Other Options for Caregiving
- Training and Certification Requirements
- Getting Hired as a Caregiver
- Being an Effective Caregiver
- Other Considerations
The guide will be posted within a few weeks. Stay tuned!
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