Whatever your politics happen to be regarding the southern border, there’s a harsh mathematical reality colliding with your family’s future. You might not see the connection right away, but the ongoing push for stricter immigration policies is directly threatening something incredibly personal: the health and safety of your aging parents.
According to recent reporting by MarketWatch, America is facing a catastrophic shortage of direct care workers. We’re talking about the home health aides, nursing home staff, and personal care assistants who bathe, feed, and monitor our elderly.
The people doing this grueling, low-paying work are disproportionately immigrants. When you choke off that labor supply, the entire elder care system teeters on the brink of collapse.
The massive math problem we are ignoring
We have a rapidly aging population. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that by 2030, all baby boomers will be 65 or older. That means one in every five Americans will be of retirement age.
This demographic shift is creating an unprecedented demand for care. Yet, we don’t have anywhere near the domestic workforce required to handle it. Americans simply aren’t lining up for these jobs. The work is physically demanding, emotionally draining, and the pay is notoriously terrible.
Because domestic workers avoid these roles, immigrants have historically stepped in to fill the gap. According to health policy research organization KFF, immigrants make up 28% of the overall direct care workforce and nearly a third of all home care workers. If we shut the door on them, there isn’t a backup plan. Nobody is waiting in the wings to take over.
What this means for your wallet
If you understand basic economics, you know what happens when demand skyrockets and supply plummets. Costs go through the roof.
We’re already seeing the cost of long-term care explode. If nursing homes and home health agencies can’t find staff, they have to raise wages dramatically to attract domestic workers, assuming they can find them at all. Those costs are passed directly to the consumer.
Don’t assume the government will foot the bill. Medicare generally doesn’t pay for long-term custodial care. If your mom needs a home health aide to help her get dressed and safely use the bathroom, that money is coming straight out of her savings, or worse, yours.
The human cost of the shortage
The financial hit is bad enough, but the human cost is terrifying. When care facilities are understaffed, mistakes happen.
Patients wait hours for help getting out of bed. Medications are missed. Fall risks multiply. In a home care setting, a severe shortage means agencies might not have an aide available to send to your parent’s house at all.
You’re left with an impossible choice: quit your own job to become a full-time caregiver, or leave a vulnerable loved one to fend for themselves.
How to protect your family right now
You can’t change the national immigration policy or magically create more caregivers, but you can prepare your own family for the fallout.
1. Start the conversation early: Don’t wait for a medical emergency to figure out how your parents will be cared for. Ask them what they want and evaluate what they can actually afford.
2. Look into long-term care insurance: The premiums are expensive, and you need to buy it before your health declines. However, having a policy can be the difference between getting professional help and going bankrupt. (Related: See Ask Stacy: Should I Buy Long-Term Care Insurance?)
3. Explore alternative living arrangements: Multi-generational housing is making a comeback for a reason. Sharing a home allows families to pool resources and share the burden of care.
4. Aggressively fund your own retirement: The best gift you can give your kids is financial independence. The more money you have saved, the more options you’ll have to buy premium care when you inevitably need it.
We’re sailing into a massive storm regarding elder care in this country. Stricter immigration policies are only accelerating the crisis. The government isn’t coming to rescue you, so it’s entirely on you to make a plan before the crisis hits your front door.
