The DC Coalition on Long Term Care’s 2023 Long Term Care Direct Care Workforce Survey, released on February 14, shows that the direct care workforce crisis has not abated. Providers are still struggling to recruit and retain workers. The dire shortage of workers is driving up costs and reducing access to care for seniors and people with disabilities. The survey makes clear that the driving force that is fueling the crisis is the lack of ability to pay competitive wages. There are simply not enough qualified candidates who want to take these essential jobs.
Providers face fierce competition from other sectors that offer higher pay for less stress, less demanding jobs with similar or lower entry level requirements.
The survey underscores the importance of raising the wages paid to direct care workers across the long-term care spectrum. The LTC Coalition endorses raising the minimum wage of all direct care workers to $24/hour. Access the full survey and other workforce information here.