Implementing a tech platform for training & consumer access to nanny agency sourced caregivers; a nascent elder companion care workforce

About This Grant

Abstract The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050. Finding elder care services to help elders age in place successfully has been a common stressor among family caregivers. Elder care workforce shortage, stress, and burnout combined are significant factors in exacerbating the elder care crisis. Despite start-ups emerging in the elder care space, a lack of appropriately trained and qualified caregivers can lead to unsafe and unsustainable conditions for elders. Home healthcare agencies, that traditionally place nurse assistants, home health nurses, and elder companions, often operate with manual processes, cumbersome insurance and payment structures, and tend to focus more heavily on the medical aspects of aging. Elder care companionship typically provides psychosocial support, assistance with activities of daily living, age and condition appropriate engaging activities, home-related task assistance, and has enormous potential to serve millions of elders who seek to age in place. In prior start-up work within the nanny industry, the PI has identified parallels between developmentally appropriate, family assistant-type nanny work and that of elder companionship. Although some nannies currently take on elder companion caregiver (ECC) work, hundreds of thousands of nannies and in-home child caregivers may also be potentially interested this role. Therefore qualified, agency vetted nannies who transition to ECC work are a nascent, promising, and capable workforce that may significantly mitigate the elder care crisis. The aims of the Phase 1 SBIR NIA proposed project are to (1) conduct customer discovery with nanny agency owners who seek to grow or develop ECC services in their businesses while confirming nannies on their roster seek this work, (2) identify nanny agency design partners to implement an ECC specific scheduling, booking, and marketing platform for agencies, and (3) develop, implement, and test a succinct ECC training that specifically transitions nannies to the ECC role. In Phase II we will test the efficacy of our elder care technology and training by comparing outcomes of those who receive care from nannies-to-ECCs versus those who do not. A significant market opportunity exists for the estimated 200,000 nannies practicing in the U.S. who are nanny agency affiliated, have established expertise in in-home care, and receive ECC training to assist a robust aging population in need of their services.