Social Relations & Caregiving

Contending With Home Care Needs After a Work Disability

2025
Kaufman, J., & Yin, N. (2025). Contending with home care needs after a work disability. Generations Journal 49(3). https://generations.asaging.org/contending-with-home-care-needs-after-a-work-disability/

Jennie Kaufman

Workers who become disabled may need some level of home care, such as help with dressing, bathing, cooking, or shopping. Family members usually provide this care, but it may come at a cost to households facing economic precarity. This article describes the situation of older workers who experience work-limiting disability, their need for home care, and their sources of care. Unmet needs are widespread, but fluctuations are common. Federal benefit systems and healthcare systems could be better designed to accommodate frequently shifting circumstances.