The American Geriatrics Society - News - American Geriatrics Society Applauds Bicameral "Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act," Introduced by Sens. Herb Kohl, Blanche Lincoln, Bob Casey and Rep. Jan Schakowsky

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2009

For more information:
Erin Weller
(212) 308-1414
eweller@americangeriatrics.org

American Geriatrics Society Applauds Bicameral "Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act," Introduced by Sens. Herb Kohl, Blanche Lincoln, Bob Casey and Rep. Jan Schakowsky

Legislation Would Address Critical, Growing Shortage of Geriatrics Healthcare Providers, Direct Care and Other Workers Trained to Care for Older Americans

New York, NY -- The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) applauds Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) for introducing "The Retooling the Healthcare Workforce for An Aging America Act" in the Senate and House yesterday.

This important legislation is designed to address the growing, nationwide shortage of physicians, nurses, other healthcare professionals, and direct care workers trained to meet the unique healthcare needs of older people. It would also better prepare family and other caregivers who provide care to millions of older Americans to meet their unique care needs.

Among other things, the proposed legislation would expand geriatrics training for medical school and other health professions faculty; for physicians, nurses, social workers, clinical psychologists, other allied health professionals; and for the nurses' aides, home health aides and other direct care workers and the family caregivers who provide the lion's share of daily, hands-on care for older Americans. The bicameral legislation is modeled after legislation that Sen. Kohl, chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced late last year.

"This important legislation would implement key and timely recommendations the Institute of Medicine's groundbreaking 2008 report, Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce," said AGS President John B. Murphy, MD, professor of medicine and family medicine at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School, and Chief Physician Officer at Rhode Island Hospital.

"The IOM report warns that our healthcare workforce is too small and 'woefully' unprepared to care for the rapidly growing number of older Americans," Dr. Murphy added. "This legislation will better prepare our nation to care for our older citizens. AGS looks forward to working with Sens. Kohl, Lincoln and Casey and Rep. Schakowsky and other supporters to enact the "Retooling the Healthcare Workforce for and Aging America Act" as soon as possible." By 2030, the number of Americans 65 or older will nearly double, to 77 million. Yet the number of geriatricians - physicians with advanced training that prepares them to meet the unique needs of older adults, including those who are frail and have multiple chronic illnesses - is expected to remain flat, at roughly 7,500, unless steps are taken to boost recruitment and retention in the field. Gerontological nurses, other geriatrics healthcare professionals, and home health aides and other direct care workers are also expected to be in increasingly short supply. Further limiting older Americans' access to quality of care, both direct care workers and family caregivers are inadequately trained and prepared, according to the IOM.

AGS strongly supports provisions in "The Retooling the Healthcare Workforce for An Aging America Act" that would:

Expand funding for the nation's Geriatric Education Centers (GECs) to enable the GECs to offer short-term intensive courses (mini-fellowships) in geriatrics, chronic care management and long-term care to faculty members of medical schools and other health professions schools. Under the act, GECs receiving these grants would be required either to develop and offer training courses for direct care workers and family caregivers, or to incorporate mental health and dementia "best practices" training into most of their courses.
Expand the Geriatric Academic Career Awards (GACA) training program to include junior faculty in nursing, social work, clinical psychology, and other allied health fields. The awards currently support the career development of junior medical school faculty pursuing academic careers in geriatrics.
Authorize a new Geriatric Career Incentive Awards (GCIA) program providing financial support for Masters-level clinical social workers and psychologists interested in pursuing doctorates or other advanced degrees in geriatrics
Expand the Nursing Comprehensive Geriatric Education Program to support additional training in geriatrics for nurses and nursing faculty.
Offer tuition stipends for direct care workers in long-term care to enable them to earn nursing degrees
Develop online training for caregivers

ABOUT THE AGS

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (www.americangeriatrics.org) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this mission through activities in clinical practice, professional and public education, research, and public policy. With an active membership of over 6,500 health care professionals, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies, and practices in geriatric medicine.