The US is expected to crash into elderly care problems as newly-elected US President Trump starts a heavy immigration crackdown.
Relying on immigrants for elder care, almost all nursing homes and long-term care facilities have staff that are foreign-born, with most certified nursing assistants being immigrants. These workers are crucial for such care, providing assistance with the daily needs of residents to emotional support.
Today, facility administrators and staff of elderly care are on shaky ground because of the immigration crackdowns proposed by Trump, including deportations and enhanced entry policies. CNN shared that many believe they will lose essential workers urgently required to ensure the well-being of older residents, especially as Aging Baby Boomers are increasingly creating a growing demand for elder care services. In 2050, aged 65 and older will increase to 82 million but by then, the long-term care industry is already beset by worker shortages and high turnover rates.
Experts caution that the rhetoric and policies of Donald Trump on immigration would dissuade potential immigrants from coming to or remaining in America, further placing stress on elder care. Employer organizations in this sector have become active advocates of new legal visas, including separate home care aides, to resolve shortages in workforces.
Immigrants as Elderly Care Workers in the US
In a study by Harvard last year, it was revealed that foreign-born workers support elder care as a whole besides providing direct personal care, contributing significantly to secondary positions such as housekeeping, dietary services, and the like.
Research has shown that immigrant workers positively impact elder care. Nursing homes in communities with higher percentages of immigrants have better staffing and patient outcomes. These caregivers provide the most basic but essential services, such as feeding and bathing, which significantly improve the quality of life for seniors.
Currently, immigrants fill a significant portion of caregiving roles: 42.4% of home health aides are foreign-born, and nearly a quarter of nursing assistants. Without these workers, elder care facilities would be very short-staffed, hence directly impacting the care of their patients.
As the elder care industry readies itself for Trump's immigration policies, innovative efforts to integrate immigrants into caregiving roles continue. Hope is given by programs like resettlement agency collaborations, but uncertainty remains regarding the future of elder care under stricter immigration regulations.
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