America is aging quickly, driven largely by the Baby Boomer generation reaching retirement age. As more adults turn 65, the demand for aging-in-place, long-term care continues to rise. Most seniors want to stay in their homes, even as chronic conditions and daily care needs increase.
This demographic shift has a direct impact on employers. According to Mercer’s Health on Demand Data from 2023, “78 percent of Millennials and 74 percent of Gen Xers classify themselves as caregivers,” making caregiving support a critical consideration for employers designing employee assistance programs and benefits strategies.
BrightStar Care® supports aging in place through reliable, long-term skilled nursing and non-medical care that helps seniors remain safely at home while giving organizations a dependable way to support working caregivers at scale. Understanding the scope of this demographic shift is the first step in addressing its impact on both population health and the workplace.
The Growing Need for Aging-In-Place Solutions
America’s Aging Workforce and Population
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults aged 65 and older now account for 18 percent of the population, a figure that’s expected to rise. This growth is largely attributed to Baby Boomers aging into Medicare eligibility.
People are living longer than ever thanks to advances in medical care, technology and preventive health. However, that means people are more likely to develop chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis or cognitive decline. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 90 percent of adults ages 65 and older have at least one chronic condition. Therefore, longevity comes at a cost: increased care complexity.
Despite these challenges, AARP affirms that 75 percent of older adults want to stay in their homes (rather than move into a facility). This requires dependable long-term home care solutions that address daily needs while supporting broader care coordination efforts.
The Hidden Impact on Employers
As the aging population grows, so does the number of employee caregivers.
A 2025 AARP-NAC report shows that 59 million American adults provide unpaid care to an adult loved one, with many balancing caregiving alongside full-time employment.
For employers, caregiving responsibilities often lead to:
- Increased absenteeism/partial absenteeism due to medical appointments, care-related tasks, care emergencies or other workday interruptions
- Frequent requests for schedule adjustments (e.g., start late, leave early, take time off or take a formal leave of absence) to provide caregiving
- Reduced productivity due to fatigue or distraction
- Higher stress and burnout
- Increased turnover when caregiving demands become unsustainable
Research published in the MetLife Caregiving Cost Study: Productivity Losses to U.S. Business estimates that caregiving-related productivity losses cost U.S. employers tens of billions of dollars each year. Without reliable employee caregiver support programs, caregiving can disrupt workforce stability and performance.
How Long-Term Home Care Supports Aging in Place
Reliable long-term home care provides consistent, Skilled Nursing and non-medical support that allows seniors to remain safely at home while easing the burden on families, caregivers and their employers.
These services work together to reduce risk and improve day-to-day stability.
Personal Care and Daily Living Support
Long-term non-medical care assists with essential activities of daily living (ADLs), including:
- Bathing and grooming
- Dressing
- Mobility and transfers
- Toileting support
These services reduce fall risk, promote routine and help seniors maintain independence without placing all responsibilities on family caregivers.
Companionship and Safety Monitoring
Social isolation is a significant concern for older adults aging in place. Regular companionship supports mental and emotional well-being while providing an added layer of safety.
Non-medical support helps by offering:
- Ongoing presence and observation
- Regular wellness check-ins
- Feeding and meal preparation
- Medication reminders
- Light housekeeping
- Transportation
- Isolation reduction
- Fall prevention
- Early identification of changes in physical, mental or emotional condition
The National Institute on Aging links consistent social engagement with better cognitive health and reduced rates of depression among seniors.
Medication Reminders and Routine Support
While non-medical caregivers do not administer medications, reminders and routine support help seniors maintain adherence. Missed medications are a leading cause of avoidable emergency department visits among older adults. In-home skilled nursing care helps maintain consistent medication routines that stabilize chronic conditions and reduce unnecessary escalation of care.
Care Coordination with Families and Providers
Successful aging in place depends on clear and consistent communication. Long-term home care is most effective when caregivers, families and providers are aligned.
The BrightStar Care nurse-led care model includes touch points, such as:
- Regular family updates
- Clear escalation pathways when concerns arise
- Collaboration with care managers and providers
This approach supports care continuity and reduces fragmentation across the continuum.
Benefits for Employees and Employers
Improved Quality of Life for Seniors and Families
Reliable long-term home care allows seniors to remain in familiar surroundings while preserving dignity and autonomy. Families and caregivers benefit from peace of mind knowing their loved one has dependable, Skilled Nursing and non-medical support in place.
Stability through employer caregiver support solutons reduces caregiver burden, particularly for those managing full-time work and family responsibilities.
Increased Workplace Productivity
When employees know reliable care is in place, they are less likely to miss work or face last-minute disruptions. A Harvard Business Review study shows that employer-provided caregiver support programs reduced employee turnover by one to seven percent and absenteeism by 10 to 50 percent. For employers, that added up to a 72 percent return on investment.
Long-term home care serves as a preventive measure, helping avoid crises that often pull employees away from work unexpectedly.
Stronger Employee Retention and Morale
Employers that recognize and support caregiving responsibilities are viewed as more people centered. Caregiver benefits for employees that address real-life challenges foster loyalty, engagement and retention, especially in competitive labor markets.
Supporting aging-in-place caregiving is more than a health care strategy—it’s a workforce strategy.
Why Reliability Matters in Long-Term Care
Consistency of Caregivers
Trust is built through consistency. Reliable long-term care that prioritizes caregiver continuity allows meaningful relationships to develop between caregivers and seniors over time.
Consistency and care continuity improve communication with families and providers, reduce stress for families and contribute to better daily outcomes.
Scheduling Dependability
Holidays, seasonal travel and peak work periods often create the greatest strain on working caregivers. Dependable scheduling from a Skilled Nursing and non-medical workforce solution, such as BrightStar Care, ensures that coverage remains steady during these critical times.
Families can plan trips with confidence and employees can focus on their responsibilities at work without worrying about sudden care gaps. Predictable scheduling also reduces last-minute emergency leave and lowers the risk of caregiver burnout on productivity.
Risk Reduction for Families and Employers
Reliable in-home Skilled Nursing and non-medical care lowers the likelihood of avoidable crises, such as falls, missed medications and unmanaged symptoms. For employers, dependable long-term care translates into fewer unexpected absences, more predictable workforce availability and improved productivity.
For families, it provides peace of mind knowing their loved ones are supported by trained caregivers who respond quickly to changes in health or daily needs.
BrightStar Care’s Aging-in-Place Model
Employer and Care Coordination Partnerships
BrightStar Care partners with employers and care coordination programs to deliver dependable long-term Skilled Nursing and non-medical care that enables seniors to safely age in place.
By working collaboratively with organizations, we help employers provide tangible support to working caregivers, reducing stress and improving workplace productivity.
Nationwide Coverage with Local Accountability
With locations in 41 U.S. states, BrightStar Care combines nationwide reach with local accountability.
Employers and care partners benefit from consistent care standards paired with community-level responsiveness. This scalable model ensures organizations can provide reliable support to employees and their families.
Custom Care Plans and Oversight
Every care plan is tailored to the individual’s needs and overseen by experienced registered nurses (RNs). Caregivers maintain ongoing communication with families as well as health care and partner teams, ensuring adjustments are made as needs evolve.
Flexible scheduling allows organizations to maintain coverage during high-demand periods, including holidays or peak workloads, providing employees and employers with confidence that care will never be disrupted.
Aging-in-place long-term care from BrightStar Care allows seniors to remain safely at home and helps employers support today’s growing number of working caregivers.
We offer reliable, coordinated home care to help lower risk, improve productivity and strengthen employee retention.
If you’re looking for a dependable way to support aging in place at scale, partner with BrightStar Care today. Explore our partnership opportunities and learn how we can help you improve patient outcomes, manage costs and simplify care coordination.