Introduction
One reason the demand for healthcare workers will increase is the rapid increase in the population group aged 65 and above. Elderly populations require qualified medical assistance to continue their daily functioning. It is estimated that between 2020 and 2040, this population subgroup will double in size, and the demand for HSW will increase exponentially (Belcour, 2019).
Healthcare System Analysis
The Canadian healthcare system experiences shortages, with 10% to 20% of all vacancies remaining open (Belcour, 2019). The situation will likely become worse over time. The demand is further increased by the population’s rejection of geriatric facilities in favour of staying home. While this solution is cheaper for patients and their families, it puts more pressure on the healthcare system. It requires much more time and personnel to care for the elders who live in individual homes than those stationed in a centralized facility.
The reasons why the supply of specialists will likely decrease are connected with the demographic situation in Canada and Western countries in general. The number of children per family is steadily decreasing, and a neutral or slightly positive population increase is caused solely by migration (Belcour, 2019). Individuals from poorer and less developed countries of South America, Africa, and the Middle East are not qualified to fill healthcare job openings (Belcour, 2019). Finally, the appeal of being a home support worker is also decreasing, as it is a dead-end job with greater potential health hazards and insufficient pay to make the venture worthwhile.
Governments cannot do much to swiftly fix the situation, as it would require expensive and long-term commitment to achieve lasting results. The first potential solution would be to subsidize the education of HSW workers, potentially making it free for all applicants, with a condition of having to work in this profession for a period of time before achieving any employment independence (Belcour, 2019).
The second solution would be to improve birthing rates by subsidizing families with two or more children. If traditional families received financial support from the government, they would be more likely to improve the demographic situation, thus increasing the number of people who choose HSW as a career option (Belcour, 2019). Finally, the government could encourage families and older people to stay in nursing homes rather than in their own homes. It would allow the healthcare system to manage more patients with fewer personnel more centrally.
Employers could increase the prestige of HSW workers by improving their salaries, benefits, and safety. Doing so would make the job more attractive, as some individuals would prefer better starting options over a long-term career at the hospital (Belcour, 2019). In addition, employers should guarantee workplaces for students taking on HSW education, thus making it a viable career choice (Belcour, 2019). Finally, employers could work on increasing inclusivity, abolishing racism, and removing the pay gap to increase the position’s attractiveness to women and qualified migrants, who could potentially occupy some of the vacancies.
Conclusion
Overall, the situation with HSW workers and healthcare in the West in general will become much more dire in the following decades. There is a chance to prevent it from becoming critical, but it requires the collective efforts of governments, employers, and entire societies. Whether Canada and other states have the resolve to accomplish this task remains to be seen.
Reference
Belcour, M. (2019). Human resource management planning (7th ed.). Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.