Older Workers in Direct Care: A Labor Force Expansion Study Funded by Better Jobs Better Care Robert

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Older Workers in Direct Care A Labor Force
Expansion StudyFunded by Better Jobs Better
CareRobert Wood Johnson FoundationandThe
Atlantic Philanthropies
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Essence of the Project

• Estimate whether older workers currently living
  near the poverty level comprise a potential pool
  of workers to fill the shortages in direct care
  paraprofessional jobs in the long term care
  industry. (survey research)
• Identify potentially successful strategies for
  recruiting, training and retaining older workers
  in direct care jobs in NHs/HHCAs (analysis of
  survey results, focus groups)
• Disseminate study findings with a focus on
  concrete ways federal dollars for assisting low
  income older workers can be used to help build a
  stronger long term care workforce (web site
  posting, PPT presentation, show-and-tell
  opportunities)

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Characteristics of Older Workers

• Strong work ethic (reliable, grateful)
• Money is not the only motivator (health care
  coverage, contribute to society, help people,
  sense of belonging and community)
• Disincentives to work (social security rules, age
  discrimination, work/leisure balance)
• Numbers will grow substantially in coming years
  (13 now vs. 20 by 2015)
• Increasingly have to assume caregiving roles
  (experience vs. obligations)

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Major Methodological Challenge How to get valid
data without using the term older worker

• What defines older worker
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act
• Title V
• Self-defined by NH/HHCA respondent?
• Does using mature worker solve problem?