AARP, the nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over, today announced its support for bipartisan legislation, sponsored by U.S. Senator Susan Collins, that would help address the crisis in providing health care to America’s rapidly aging senior population. The legislation, “The Caring for an Aging America Act,” sponsored by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), would provide $130 million in federal funding over five years to attract and retain trained health care professionals and direct-care workers by providing them with loan forgiveness and career advancement opportunities.
“Studies show that more than one quarter of Maine’s population will be over the age of 65 by the year 2030,” said Senator Collins. “Our health care system is already struggling to find and retain qualified workers to meet this growing demand. Our legislation will help recruit, train, and keep health care workers who are dedicated to providing quality health care for this aging population.”
“The Caring for an Aging America Act” would:
• Establish the Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program for physicians, physician assistants, advance practice nurses, psychologists, and social workers who complete specialty training in geriatrics or gerontology and agree to provide full-time clinical practice and service to older adults for a minimum of two years
• Expand eligibility for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program to include registered nurses who complete specialty training and provide nursing services to older adults in long-term care settings
• Expand career advancement opportunities for nursing and direct care workers by offering specialty training in long-term care services through the existing Career Ladders Grants Program
• Create a Health and Long-Term Care Workforce Advisory Panel for an Aging America to examine and advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor and Congress on workforce issues related to health and long-term care for the aging population
Following if the full text of AARP’s letter to Senator Collins:
The Honorable Susan Collins
United States Senate
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Collins:
AARP is pleased to support the Caring for an Aging America Act (S. 2708) that you and Senator Boxer are sponsoring. This bill would take some important first steps to help ensure that the health and long-term care workforces are sufficient to meet the needs of America's aging population.
As America’s population ages, there will be a greater need for our health and long-term care workforce to be adequately trained and large enough in size to serve the increasing number of older adults. Recruitment and retention of this workforce is essential. Individuals age 85 and older are growing faster than the overall population and are more likely to need long-term services and supports to help them remain independent and in the setting of their choice. Older adults are more likely to have multiple chronic conditions, use multiple medications, and have more complex health care needs than younger individuals. Yet most health care providers receive almost no formal training in geriatrics or gerontology.
The loan repayment program created by the bill will help to encourage more physicians, physician assistants, advance practice nurses, social workers, and psychologists to seek specialized training in geriatrics or gerontology. By expanding the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program to include registered nurses who complete training in geriatrics and gerontology, the bill could increase the number of nurses with this training who provide quality care in long-term care settings.
And expanding existing career ladder programs to focus on specialty training in long-term care services for nursing personnel and direct care workers in all settings would help ensure that staffs are better trained to meet the unique and often complex needs of individuals.
AARP appreciates your leadership to address the critical need for adequate and trained health and long-term care workforces to meet the needs of older adults.
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