COVID-19 INTENSIFIED HOME CARE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic affected home care workers in several important ways. The purpose of this study was to detail the challenges faced and the state and federal policy responses implemented to address those challenges. We conducted scans of federal and state policies enacted during the pandemic, home care agency practices described in media reports and the literature, and interviews with 25 stakeholders. Some challenges encountered were entirely new and resulted directly from the pandemic, such as limited access to personal protective equipment due to workers not being recognized as “essential.” In other cases, the pandemic worsened long-standing challenges, such as recruitment and retention. State policy responses included Medicaid rate increases, hazard pay, and changes to staff training requirements. Federal policy responses included disaster relief funding as well as allowing non-physician practitioners to order services. Stakeholders suggested additional policy changes will be needed to address ongoing challenges experienced by this workforce.