Initiative on Home Care Work

A heart failure pilot study conducted by Dr. Madeline Sterling and Margaret McDonald found that providing home health aides with heart failure specific training and supportive technology increases their confidence and skills, improves patient outcomes, and helps integrate them more fully into the care team.

Dr. Madeline Sterling and Maya Levinson explain that aging in place depends on paid caregivers who provide essential medical and daily living support. They warn that worsening policies, low pay, and difficult working conditions are driving caregivers away, creating a crisis that could leave many without the care they need.

Within the context of a government shutdown, home health agencies are at risk of losing telehealth flexibilities that have become critical to care delivery. Dr. Madeline Sterling warns that without new legislation, the US faces a “telehealth policy cliff” as current flexibilities risk expiring.