By Molly Carpenter
Labor Day marks the beginning of Workforce Development Month. Let’s celebrate by renewing our passion for the aging services workforce.
At this time of year, each of us begins to feel a shift in energy and rhythm as we transition from warm, relaxing days to cooler weather, noisy alarm clocks, and busy schedules. As Labor Day approaches, we experience a bittersweet push and pull. Summer’s sense of freedom starts to fade. School is beginning, and the holidays are just around the corner.
Make no mistake, however. Labor Day isn’t just the unofficial end of summer or the start of fall. It’s a major holiday with significant meaning.
Labor Day was first recognized in the 19th century during a time of unfair labor practices, including long hours, unsafe working conditions, and low wages. Without the Labor Movement that we’ll celebrate on September 1, we wouldn’t have an 8-hour workday, overtime pay, workplace safety laws, or child labor laws.
Many people still view Labor Day and September—which is Workforce Development Month—as a time to raise awareness of labor issues and advocate for dignity in the workplace.
I consider myself part of this group.
I spent 15 years as a direct care professional serving older adults and their families in various care settings. I also spent 16 years working at a global home care company, where I was responsible for addressing the needs and improving the working conditions of direct care professionals.
This experience sparked my interest in understanding caregivers and developing meaningful solutions to improve their jobs. In 2018-2019, while pursuing a second master’s degree in social gerontology, I conducted eye-opening research on why caregivers were leaving their home care jobs.
Two study findings distressed me:
First, direct care professionals were leaving home care primarily due to their life circumstances: issues with transportation, childcare, housing, health, and caring for family members.
Second, direct care professionals, most of whom are women, have multiple children at home and live at or below the poverty line, among other concerning characteristics.
This study, and my work with direct care professionals, fueled my passion to improve their working conditions. That passion eventually led me to LeadingAge.
After serving eight months as Director of Workforce Strategy and Development for the Washington office of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, I am confident that LeadingAge is well-positioned to make a meaningful difference in the lives and work of direct care professionals and the older people they serve.
We have three things going for us:
- An excellent and knowledgeable LeadingAge staff, including our dedicated LTSS Center researchers.
- The energetic and committed leaders and team members working in 36 LeadingAge state partner organizations across 41 states.
- Our more than 5,400 members, who include nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations that touch millions of lives every day, including those of direct care professionals.
Working together, we are a force to be reckoned with. United, we have the power to strengthen the aging services workforce and ensure that older adults receive high-quality services and supports.
In short, we are unstoppable.
This Labor Day and throughout Workforce Development Month, I encourage you to renew your passion for our aging services labor force.
First, explore our workforce resources.
Then, stay alert for new workforce resources we will release throughout the month.
And don’t pass up any chance to learn about, advocate for, and participate in efforts to enhance the work and job experience of our essential professional caregivers.
Molly Carpenter is the Director of Workforce Strategy and Development in the Washington, DC office of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston.
Carpenter works across LeadingAge teams to advance strategies that improve the recruitment, retention, work experiences, and sustainability of a diverse, quality aging services caregiving workforce. She began her career as a direct care professional and most recently served as a workforce consultant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Carpenter has also led workforce research and training initiatives for a global home care company.
Carpenter holds two master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska-Omaha: one in education with a gerontology specialization and the other in social gerontology.