Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com

The nation needs an injection of healthcare workers to meet the needs of 78 million aging baby boomers, the oldest of whom started collecting Social Security this year, according to a new study.  

Starting immediately, "bold initiatives" are needed to train all health care providers in the basics of geriatrics, and to prepare family members and other caregivers in how to tend to aging loved ones, urged committee members behind the report from the Institute of Medicine, which is part of the Academy of Sciences.

 Medicare, Medicaid, and other health plans should consider paying higher salaries as part of recruiting and retaining professionals, too. 

"By 2030, one in every five Americans will be 65 or older," said committee chair John W. Rowe, professor of health policy and management, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University.

"We face an impending crisis as the growing number of older patients, who are living longer with more complex health needs, increasingly outpaces the number of health care providers with the knowledge and skills to care for them capably," he said.

Retention and Education
While the IOM report draws new attention to staff shortages, groups representing nurses and cardiothoracic surgeons, for example, have been discussing the short supply of workers in their respective professions in recent months, noting that it's hard to recruit and retain professionals who are either reluctant to undergo time-consuming training, or put off by the stress that comes with the job.  

The IOM report draws attention to several issues in need of resolution to ensure staff shortages won't compromise boomers care. One of the biggest challenges to increasing healthcare staff is curbing high turnover rates among nursing assistants and personal care aides, many of whom earn wages that fall below the poverty level.

Education is another area that needs to be addressed, with all health professional schools and training programs being urged to expand their coursework and training in the care of elderly individuals. Training is also important for the millions of  informal caregivers such as family members and friends that need assistance in alleviating the stress that can come from coping with a myriad of aging-related issues - form knowing when to take the keys away to fall-proofing a home.