Home care workers are more likely to live with older, sicker adults, new study finds

Home care workers are more likely to live with older, sicker adults, new study finds
McKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 8/21/25
Compared to the average adult, home care workers are more likely to live with older seniors or those with long-term services and supports (LTSS) needs, according to a new study published in Health Affairs Scholar... Approximately 15% of these home care workers lived with those who needed LTSS, the study found. This compared to about 4% of nonhome care workers... This tendency among home care workers to live with older, sicker adults could be linked with their on-the-job duties, according to the study. “Household caregiving responsibilities may serve as an on-ramp into the home care workforce — both through employment within the home and through employment outside of it,” the study said. It added, “The flexible work schedules and high labor demand in the home care workforce may be particularly appealing to workers who must balance their employment with unpaid household caregiving responsibilities.” Another possibility is that home care workers are more capable of assisting older, sicker seniors with aging in place, and therefore have a higher likelihood of living with those who could use their care.
Publisher's note: Perhaps this is important information regarding employee flexibility and retention.