We’ve all seen the demographic predictions: California’s numerous baby boomers will swamp the health care industry with aging bodies — almost all of them wanting to stay healthy, active and living at home.
That last part — living at home — may become a recurring, resounding policy issue in the coming years.
A new report from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research suggests California policymakers need to pay more attention to health care delivered in the home.
“Almost no data exists to measure the quality of care provided by the rapidly growing industry of private home care providers serving an expanding population of the elderly and disabled,” according to the policy brief “Who Is Minding the People Who Are Minding Our Elders?”
A bill in the Legislature this year seeks to more tightly regulate and keep track of the thousands of home health workers. AB 1217, by Assembly member Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), would require home care agencies to be licensed and caregivers to be listed in an online database.
Regardless of the fate of Lowenthal’s bill, the issues raised in the debate over how to manage home health care will continue to grow in importance as baby boomers age and more home health care services are needed in California.
We asked legislators and stakeholders how California can best shape state policy regarding home health care givers to get ready for major changes ahead.
We got responses from: