Superior walk and roll event sheds light on caregiver crisis

SUPERIOR — An event focused on raising awareness about the caregiver crisis kicks off at 9 a.m. May 13 at Superior High School near the track.

We Care Walk and Roll is part walk, part job fair. There is no cost to participate for walkers, job seekers or organizations hosting a table. Organized by We Care Douglas County, the event provides an opportunity for those seeking caregivers to share information about their needs and a time to raise awareness of the critical need for caregivers.

Rebecca Mein with Inclusa, a managed care organization, provided statewide statistics outlining the crisis:

• In Wisconsin, the average caregiver vacancy rate is 24%. That means that 1-in-4 caregiving staff positions are unfilled.
• Forty-two percent of providers are facing a caregiver vacancy rate of more than 25%.
• There are 20,655 vacant caregiver positions in long-term and residential care facilities, an increase of 4,000 since 2018.
• One-in-three facilities limited admissions in the past year due to staffing vacancies.

A report by LeadingAge Wisconsin, a community of nonprofit organizations, indicated that 18,482 people who sought treatment from a long-term care provider in 2022 were denied or delayed services due to a lack of staff.

The shortage is expected to become more critical over time. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2034, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in history.

We Care Douglas County is a local collaborative of agencies, businesses and stakeholders dedicated to raising awareness of the caregiver shortage. Visit the We Care Douglas County Facebook page email WeCareDouglasCounty@gmail.com or call 218-481-0378 for more information. Register online or stop by half an hour before the event kicks off to register. It will take place by the track next to Wessman Arena.