Tim Kaine: “With a growing number of older adults and people with disabilities in the U.S., our Nation is becoming increasingly…”

“With a growing number of older adults and people with disabilities in the U.S., our Nation is becoming increasingly reliant on the direct care workforce and family caregivers who support older adults and people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this need. The direct care workforce, such as direct support workers, home care workers, personal care workers or other paid workers who support older adults and people with disabilities in their homes and communities, has long experienced staffing shortages in part because of low wages and high turnover. Currently, 4.5 million workers--including nearly 2.3 million home care workers--make up the direct care workforce, and this industry is expected to grow by more than a million jobs by 2028, not including the jobs that will need to be filled as existing workers leave the field or exit the labor force. The shortage of direct care workers often puts pressure on family caregivers. The number of American caregivers providing unpaid caregiving has increased over the past 5 years, and 23 percent of caregivers say that caregiving has made their health worse. Today, I am pleased to introduce the Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act along with my colleagues Senators Bob Casey, Maggie Hassan, Tammy Duckworth, Jack Reed, Ron Wyden, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Jacky Rosen.…”