Workforce shortages in geriatric and disability care: Trends, causes, and solutions in the U.S. Health System

The United States is experiencing a critical shortage in the workforce needed to provide geriatric and disability care, thereby threatening the accessibility, quality, and sustainability of long-term services for a rapidly aging and increasingly diverse population. Consequent upon this, the paper assesses national and regional workforce trends from 2010 to 2024, identifies the structural and demographic factors contributing to labor shortfalls, and explores the consequences of these deficits on patient care and provider well-being. Drawing on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), and other national sources, the study reveals persistent gaps in the availability of geriatricians and direct care workers, particularly in rural, low-income, and minority-dense areas. It also highlights racial, gender, and immigrant-based disparities among workers, high levels of burnout, and inadequate training pipelines. The study also reveals that COVID-19 pandemic further intensified workforce attrition and service disruptions. In view of this, the paper proposes evidence-based policy solutions, including improved compensation, training reforms, labor protections, and system-level investments in home- and community-based care. These strategies are essential to building a resilient, equitable, and person-centered care workforce for the nation’s most vulnerable populations.