This article explores how rebalancing efforts can support the needs of individuals aging with a lifelong disability. The National Balancing Indicator project examined the overall long-term supports and services system (LTSS) progress in five indicators within the Sustainability, Coordination and Transparency, and Prevention principles toward a balanced LTSS system for those aging with a lifelong disability. In assessing state efforts to create a balanced participant-directed LTSS system with the National Balancing Indicators, the findings suggest states are better equipping the system to handle a burgeoning population of individuals aging with a lifelong disability, but more progress is still needed. Overall, states need to continue to create a seamless system that allows individuals with lifelong disabilities to transition smoothly through the life course.
Our aging society calls for a workforce capable of meeting older adults’ diverse needs. Yet the extent that employers seek out a workforce with aging-related training or education is unclear, as is how people with such backgrounds search for positions. We describe an exploratory content analysis of job postings to understand how employers are searching for applicants with aging-related backgrounds, and compare job posting keywords to terms used by a sample of aging-trained job seekers/employees. Results showed 35% of aging-related job postings used keywords expressing preference for applicants with aging-related backgrounds; the most commonly-occurring terms were “gerontology,” “Assisted living” + “adult day” + “director” + “nursing home administrator,” and “elderly.” Job seekers also cited “gerontology” as a term used to search for positions, along with “aging,” “older adults” and “seniors”. Findings suggest that employers should use more positively-connoted terms to attract applicants with aging-related backgrounds, rather than terms like “elderly.”
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