The National Council on Aging has received a $1.6 million AmeriCorps Seniors grant to test a program to train adults aged 55 or more years to become certified nurse assistants, electrocardiogram technicians and phlebotomists.
The program will take place in the northern panhandle of West Virginia.
“While I am unfamiliar with the specifics of the grant, I am encouraged by attempts to address the healthcare workforce challenges in our rural areas. Staffing has grown out of equilibrium, with more nurses and staff leaving the workforce than entering, and efforts to bring more people into the profession is a step in the right direction,” Mary Wright, CEO of the West Virginia Health Care Association, told the McKnight’s Business Daily.
“Hopefully, this pilot project will yield positive results and assist in making future strides to increase individuals going into healthcare professions,” she added.
While working on their certifications, pilot participants will provide community service to two campuses within the West Virginia University University Hospital System. Upon completing their training and community service, the participants will be aided by NCOA in finding employment.
NCOA President and CEO Ramsey Alwin called the program a “win-win for older adults and healthcare employers.”
“Many older adults want or need to continue working, and there is a critical shortage of these health professionals, especially in rural areas,” she said. “With support and training, these older adults will be able to move into new careers that serve their communities and ensure their own financial security.”
According to a recent report from global investment management firm T. Rowe Price, many Americans who chose to retire for one reason or another during the pandemic have returned to the workforce.
Adults aged more than 65 years collectively are the only age group in America projected to increase their share of the workforce in coming years, going from 8.9% in 2020 to 11.7% in 2030, according to Moneywise. The T. Rowe Price survey found that approximately 20% of former retirees are working either full time or part time, and another 7% of respondents said they are looking for employment
