Older Americans Step Up To Support Peers Amid Caregiver Shortages

As the number of older Americans continues to rise, a growing trend sees seniors stepping in as caregivers for their peers.

With about 70% of the 73 million individuals aged 65 and older projected to require home care by 2025 and a shortage of professional caregivers, organizations like Caretech and Seniors Helping Seniors are tapping into the invaluable resource of experienced senior caregivers to meet the increasing demand for home support.

“All home care organizations have studied the ‘boomer consumer’ and their needs,” Kerin Zuger, COO of Caretech, told Home Health Care News. “One consistent finding is that once they retire, they love to spend their time volunteering. This is their next chapter, their golden years, where they can give back. Therefore, the concept of seniors helping seniors taps into a demographic eager to get involved in caregiving.”

Caretech, based in Omaha, Nebraska, offers non-medical home care services that include personal care, companionship and household assistance.

The company’s program started in July 2024, inspired by Zuger’s mother, who wanted to help individuals in her community. Caretech had an opening for a client requiring short-term care and it was a match.

“Seniors are excellent at filling in when a full-time caregiver is unavailable,” Zuger noted. “It feels like volunteer work, which is fulfilling, but they are compensated. It’s a win-win.”

Senior caregivers receive the same pay rate as other caregivers, though they typically work shorter hours and during times when other caregivers are occupied due to emergencies, personal obligations or secondary employment. Their services include companionship, meal preparation, reading and transportation to doctor appointments. Caretech currently employs 341 caregivers, with about 20 of them aged 65 or older.

“Using these individuals as emergency fill-ins for cases where other caregivers can’t make it tends to reduce your unfilled rates by several percentage points,” Zuger stated. “Home care usage increases when you have a diverse pool of caregivers because clients have varying preferences and needs.”

In recruiting efforts, Zuger explained that her organization aims to communicate to potential caregivers that they can find purpose in this work. They focus their recruitment efforts in places like churches, card clubs and senior centers.

“We hire mature caregivers to assist seniors in our communities,” Seniors Helping Seniors President Namrata Yocom-Jan told HHCN. “We seek friendly and compassionate caregivers, whether they are experienced professionals or simply individuals who love helping others. While we use standard recruitment methods, we also maintain a strong grassroots presence in our communities.”

Seniors Helping Seniors operates in 37 locations nationwide, providing professional in-home care services and companionship by seniors for seniors. Their caregivers offer a wide range of non-medical services similar to Caretech, including long-distance check-ins, safety and fall prevention, light handyman services, pet care, respite care and medication reminders.

Yocom-Jan mentioned that the primary motivation for her company’s senior caregivers is a desire to help others. This role offers them a chance to earn extra income while remaining active, forming lasting friendships and contributing to their communities.

“For many, it’s a meaningful way to stay engaged while supplementing their income,” she noted. “As we like to say … do good and make money.”

For others, it is about remaining independent themselves, while providing consistency of care to their peers.

One caregiver at HomeWell Care Services, who is 88 years old, has been with the company for over four years. With more than 50 years of experience as a certified nursing assistant, she currently works six days a week with a dementia client, according to a HomeWell franchisee. This gives the dementia patient consistent care which is so important when working with these individuals.

“Her dedication, experience, and sheer determination make her an irreplaceable part of the HomeWell family. She doesn’t just care — she inspires — proving that excellence in caregiving is all about heart,” the franchise owner said.

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