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Contact: Andrew Lenderman
Communications Manager
Office: 360.709.4618
Cell: 360.764.9318
Email: andrew.lenderman@wtb.wa.gov
Washington unprepared to care for quickly growing senior population, new report shows
Long-term care committee proposes solutions, including consistent hours, better training and more
OLYMPIA —Washington is not prepared to care for a quickly growing senior population, a new Workforce Board report shows.
Low wages, shortages and turnover in the state’s long-term care industry create major challenges and expenses for families and communities. But consistent schedules, better training, educational support and career opportunities are among several solutions proposed by the Long-Term Care Workforce Initiative, led by the Workforce Board.
“While there are many challenges around long-term care, we have an opportunity to plan ahead and work on commonsense solutions to help families, workers and employers,” Workforce Board Executive Director Eleni Papadakis said.
More than 1.7 million Washingtonians will be 65 or older by 2030. By 2050, that number will increase to 2.3 million. Even more people need help to manage disabilities, injuries or illness. Yet the story of long-term care in Washington continues to include many challenges, including a well-documented shortage of professionals to manage, supervise and provide services.
This instability leads to:
- Problems finding safe, quality services.
- Family stress and economic hardship.
- High costs due to excessive turnover.
- Extreme workloads.
A committee of long-term care stakeholders and experts recommend a range of possible solutions, including:
- Consistent hours for caregivers, which leads to a stable income.
- More local training opportunities for rural and isolated communities.
- Management training focused on recruitment and retention.
- Using technology to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burdens.
- Incentive pay for professional nurses who mentor and train student nurses.
- More support for state training programs, including a long-term care nursing residency program.
“As a result of growing demand from the Washington population and a shrinking of the traditional caregiver labor pool, the future of long-term care will be immeasurably worse without decisive action by both the public and private sectors,” the report reads.
The report was commissioned by the Workforce Board on behalf of the Long-Term Care Workforce Initiative, a partnership of private long-term care employers, healthcare providers, educators and state agencies focused on challenges and creating solutions. The report was also shared with lawmakers as part of the Workforce Board’s role to advise the Governor and Legislature.
Additionally, the Workforce Board has launched a statewide marketing campaign with a goal of generating interest in long-term care nursing careers. The campaign was funded by the 2023 Legislature. The campaign’s message is that long-term care nursing careers are stable, rewarding careers with potential for growth and opportunities to serve your community. Learn more about the Be the Reason campaign today.
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About the Workforce Board:
The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board is a partnership of business, labor and government dedicated to helping Washington residents succeed in family-wage jobs, while meeting employer needs for skilled workers.
The Board’s vision is that every Washington community is thriving, inclusive and economically resilient. Learn more at https://wtb.wa.gov/.
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