Holiday Message from HCAOA CEO Vicki Hoak

​Happy holidays! Thank you for your support for the Home Care Association of America this year. 2022 has been an exciting year for the home care industry.
 
Thanks to the education and advocacy efforts by HCAOA, partner organizations, home care providers, and family caregivers, we are witnessing a shift in perspective about senior care in our country. The value of home care is increasing within families and communities and their words about what we offer are echoing in the halls of our state capitols and Congress. Change is coming. 

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​The significant, continued growth of our nation’s senior population and their need for care has caught the attention of legislators, health care payors, the VA, Medicare, Medicaid, and more. The needs of our nation’s seniors and their families have come into focus, and change is coming with the development of the National Strategy for Family Caregivers, the integration of technology into home care and its workforce, and the growth of Medicare Advantage plans offering in-home support services.  While there is still much work to be done, home care is becoming recognized as a valued part of the solution.
 
At our National Conference in Orlando in September, we heard from knowledgeable leaders who shared sobering statistics about the future, innovative ideas for growth, and challenges to be the catalysts for change. As I asked at the conference, “If not now, then when?”
 
HCAOA is on the move. Our association’s sights are set on enabling more seniors and individuals with disabilities to choose where they age with dignity and safety, which is usually in their own homes and communities.  We will work toward this goal by furthering our policy priorities of:

• establishing national standards of care, ​collecting, evaluating and utilizing data to validate the value of home care,
• embedding home care in the health care ecosystem,
• supporting caregivers with recruitment, training and career pathing,
• financing care in an era of rising longevity, and
• addressing immigration to ensure the caregivers we need.

 
This year alone, HCAOA has worked with state and national leaders to broaden services, develop guidelines and regulations, address workforce issues like training and registration, advocate for good legislation and against harmful legislation, and so much more.
 
I want to thank every member of our Board of Directors, state chapter leaders, members of HCAOA’s committees, and especially our small but mighty staff for the hard and diligent work that has resulted in so many accomplishments this year.  

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