President-elect Donald Trump’s vowed crackdown on immigration could strain an already struggling elder care workforce that relies on foreign-born workers in nursing homes and home health settings.
Industry players and experts argue that increasing the long-term care workforce requires more immigration, and Trump’s plans could further undermine efforts to shore up the workforce as need for services increases with an aging population.
“Restricting entry of immigrants into the U.S. could really have a detrimental impact on long-term care for older adults,” said David C. Grabowski, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. “They [immigrants] play a critical role in the delivery of long-term care broadly, but especially in nursing homes.”
