Who Will Be There to Care? The Growing Gap between Caregiver Supply and Demand

This paper examines the increasing demand for long-term care services and the concurrent decrease in the supply of paid and unpaid caregivers. It considers workforce trends for paraprofessionals, such as certified nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal care attendants, as well as several public and private efforts to address staff shortages and quality-of-care. The paper explores the sociodemographic factors that have affected the demand for and supply of informal care provided by family and friends. It also reviewes policy proposals designed to provide support for family caregivers and/or to give choices to consumers