In less than eight years, one in five Americans will be 65 and older. Many will come to rely on Area Agencies on Aging so they can age at home. But a new report shows this vital aging network is struggling with workforce shortages.

According to the report by USAging, a person turning 65 today has a nearly 70% chance of needing long-term services or support, like home delivered meals or help with bathing or dressing. For those who can’t afford private caregivers, Area Agencies on Aging can help. 

Mary Beals-Luedtka is with the Northern Arizona Council of Governments, one of the state’s 7 AAAs.

"Our waitlist is still quite large, we are at 704 clients waiting for services in northern Arizona, which is big. However, that being said, it's smaller than it was two months ago," Beals-Luedtka said. 

According to the report, more older adults are requesting help, yet 74% of AAAs are facing staffing shortages and 91% say their contracted service providers, those who do the actual caregiving, are too. 

"We're woefully underfunded," said Beals-Luedtka. "And when the COVID money runs out, we still have COVID money from the American Rescue Act. But, you know, in '24, that money is going to be all gone." 

Making it difficult to plan for a future where more and more people will need help. 

"The numbers are growing. Just since 2010, we've tripled the number of aging in our state of Arizona. Tripled! And so, how do you continue to serve with the funding being one time, and how do you plan? I just think that's a dangerous slope," Beals-Luedtka said. 

She did say that, in its last budget, the Arizona Legislature allocated $2 million for home and community-based services, but it was a one-time amount. "It's tough when they don't realize that this is not going away," she said.