 November is a month that holds a special place in our hearts. It's a time to recognize and honor the thousands of HCAOA member organizations and their caregivers who make a tremendous difference in the lives of countless families. National Home Care Month and & Family Caregiver Month is a time to express our deepest gratitude to the home-based care community. Your unwavering dedication is truly remarkable, and HCAOA is deeply thankful for everything you do!
 HCAOA announced the 2023 National Caregiver of the Year last week at the National Home Care Conference in Chicago. Eulodia Ortiz, a dedicated caregiver from Visiting Angels in Matawan, NJ, was recognized in front of more than 700 industry leaders. Eulodia's exceptional commitment to her clients and their families stood out among more than 500 nominees from across nearly all 50 states.
 The 2023 National Home Care Conference was a huge success, with record-breaking attendance and an exhibit hall that sold out not once but three times! This year’s conference boasted a nearly 40% increase in registrants compared to 2022, with the largest assembly of exhibitors in the home care industry, numbering over 100 and over 50 speakers addressing crucial industry topics; it was an event to remember.
 Kaiser Permanente is gaining recognition within the home-based care community for its collaborative approach to delivering high-quality services. The organization's home-based care network involves approximately 26 agencies, including providers like LHC Group, Bayada Home Health Care, and Pavilion Medical Home Care & Staffing. Kaiser's stance toward home-based care is focused on improving care continuity and involves close cooperation between physicians, discharge planners, and partnering home health agencies. These partnerships illustrate the growing importance of aligning different elements of the healthcare system to provide comprehensive and effective care, particularly for high-risk populations.
 The "Bridging the Gap" report, authored by Robert Espinoza, Executive Vice President of Policy at PHI, highlights the role played by immigrant direct care workers in the United States' healthcare system, particularly in long-term care for the elderly and individuals with disabilities. Immigrants constitute a substantial 27% of the direct care workforce in the country, underscoring their pivotal contribution to this essential sector. However, the long-term care industry confronts significant challenges, with 9.3 million direct care job openings anticipated between 2021 and 2031.
 Last month, HCAOA held a unique roundtable discussion with the Top 16 Finalists for the 2023 Caregiver of the Year Award. This energetic and interactive discussion gave these exceptional caregivers an opportunity to dive deep into the ever-evolving home care industry, providing insight into why they are so passionate about being a caregiver, what recommendations they have to better the home care industry, and how to recruit and retain caregivers. Beyond the insightful discussions, they also relished the opportunity to connect with one another, bonding over their shared love for caregiving.
In a historic event on October 4, over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers staged the largest healthcare worker strike in U.S. history. The strike, lasting three days, resulted from unsuccessful negotiations after the expiration of the workers' union contracts on September 30. While the strike did not disrupt hospital and emergency department operations, it drew attention to the ongoing nurse staffing crisis and concerns about patient safety due to short staffing.
 It is an incredible honor and a privilege to join the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) and serve you and your colleagues as CEO.
Home care is deeply personal to me, and I have seen its benefits firsthand. My family relied upon home care services just a few weeks ago for my mother and autistic brother while my father was traveling to assist my aunt. It was reassuring for my entire family to know that my mother and brother were receiving exemplary care in the comfort of their own home. I know you have your own personal stories about the value of home care as well. A new report by PHI underscores the vital role that immigrants can play in alleviating workforce shortages in home-based care. The report highlights that 32% of home care workers in the U.S. are immigrants.
End of Pandemic Payments to Family Caregivers Could Exacerbate Workforce Shortages in Medicaid HCBS9/27/2023
A recent analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) warns that the termination of payments to family caregivers, which were allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, may intensify workforce shortages in Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS). Over 4 million individuals rely on Medicaid HCBS, making it a vital program for elderly and disabled Americans. Medicaid spent approximately $162 billion on HCBS in 2020, out of a total of $245 billion in HCBS spending, as Medicare generally does not cover these services.
Vicki Hoak, HCAOA’s CEO, was interviewed by Scripps News regarding the surge in demand for in-home care in the U.S. Hoak discussed how the demand has been driven by a growing aging population and a desire among Americans to age in the comfort of their homes. She noted by 2030, there will be more people over 65 than under 18, highlighting the need for in-home care services. Despite an increase in the number of home care workers over the past few decades, the demand for these services has outpaced supply.
 A new program to support dementia patients and caregivers is set to launch July 2024. This webinar will explore the new federal program — Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model — that will reimburse providers managing dementia care for patients and their caregivers.
September 27, 2023, 2 p.m. ET Register for the webinar HERE.  On Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that non-medical homecare agencies are approved providers for the purpose of CNA recertifications. However, this was not the case two months ago when Credentia, the vendor for the department, had removed home care agencies as approved providers. Now that the issue has been resolved, CNAs who work for home care agencies and were unable to renew their license will be notified by Credentia in the coming weeks.
Celebrating Dedication & Compassion: Congratulations to Top 16 HCAOA Caregiver Award Finalists9/20/2023
 HCAOA is proud to announce the Top 16 Finalists for the 2023 Caregiver of the Year Award. The overall Caregiver of the Year will be announced during the 2023 National Home Care Conference [https://www.hcaoa.org/national-home-care-conference.html] on October 24, 2023. The Caregiver of the Year will receive a $2,000 cash award and an all-expenses paid trip to Chicago for the conference to be recognized in front of industry leaders.
 A recent report from PHI, a New York-based direct care workers advocacy organization, highlights significant challenges faced by the growing direct care workforce in the United States. While the industry is expected to experience substantial growth over the next decade, issues such as low wages persist, exacerbating recruitment and retention problems within the home care industry. The research reveals that despite some wage growth due to state and federal investments in Medicaid funding, wage growth has slowed significantly, with the median hourly wage for direct care workers increasing by only $0.07 per hour in 2021 and $0.02 per hour in 2022.
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