The Oregon Department of Human Services Aging and People with Disabilities (ODHS/APD) is required by SB 703, which passed in the 2021 legislative session, to study the total cost to provide care, sufficiency of Medicaid reimbursement rates, and average direct care worker wages in assisted living and residential care communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for residents, residents’ families, care staff, and providers in assisted living, residential care, and memory care communities. Alongside the disproportionate mortality and morbidity associated with the pandemic, labor market and economic changes disrupted the healthcare workforce, resulting in staffing shortages.
In response to SB 703 and pandemic-related challenges, ODHS/APD contracted with the Institute on Aging to answer the following questions:
- What costs are associated with providing quality care to residents in assisted living, residential care, and memory care settings?
- What are the average wages and benefits paid to direct care workers and other care-related staff?
- What are the experiences direct care workers and other care-related staff have in providing personal care to residents in CBC settings?
- What are the current challenges in the long-term care workforce?
These questions were addressed through quantitative online and mailed surveys, qualitative focus group and individual interviews with direct care workers, and individual interviews with stakeholders.
The current phase of this project is a qualitative study investigating direct care worker experiences of cultural humility, belonging, and inclusion, and how those experiences impact staff recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. A report will be posted to this page in late 2024.