NEW YORK, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to overhaul immigration could reduce the ranks of workers who care for the elderly and disabled people at home and in long-term care facilities as California and the country grapple with the needs of an aging population, the Los Angeles Times on Sunday cited healthcare experts and immigrant advocates.
Trump has pledged to carry out the biggest deportation effort in U.S. history. On his first day in office he signed executive orders to suspend refugee admissions for months, require asylum seekers to stay in Mexico as their cases were adjudicated, and roll back humanitarian programs that had granted temporary legal status and work authorization to more than 1.5 million people.
"That could have consequences for tens of millions of older Americans who may end up requiring long-term care," noted the report.
California estimates that by 2030, a quarter of the state's population will be at least 60 years old. Across the United States, the demand for home health aides, nursing assistants and personal care aides in long-term care has been projected to rise between 35 percent and 41 percent from 2022 to 2037, according to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. ■