Toward an Infrastructure of Care

In the US, the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on residents and staff members of nursing homes and assisted living and long-term care facilities, as well as calls for addressing injustices throughout society, has led to a growing consensus that changes need to be made in how the nation supports the human rights of older persons and others with disabilities to remain independent and live in safe and secure environments. One out of every five American adults, from all walks of life and backgrounds, provide unpaid caregiving each year, and have become a core piece of the health care system in US, as well as the main source of long-term care for adults living at home and in the community. Unpaid care for older Americans and people with disabilities in their homes is just part of a broader crisis of care in the US that includes addressing the pressures that working parents face in pursuing their careers while caring for their children and other members of their families. This chapter discusses recent efforts to provide support for the care economy including administrative and regulatory reforms and holistic investment in the care that families need and the jobs that will support and encourage achievement of those needs.