A new report from the Michigan Health Council confirms what many of us already know: the demand for home health and personal care aides is skyrocketing, but our system isn’t keeping up.

Home health aides ranked dead last in Michigan’s 2025 Healthcare Workforce Index when it comes to shortages, and nearly last for turnover. The report projects a 149% shortage in the workforce over the next 10 years, and an 87% turnover rate just this year. These are staggering numbers for a workforce that is essential to keeping people safely at home and out of institutional care.

Despite having the highest wage growth (over 50%) among all occupations since 2019, home health aides still earn well below Michigan’s median wage of $22.57/hour. And while job opportunities are growing fast, compensation, support, and career pathways haven’t caught up. That gap is driving workers out of the field and making it harder for providers to meet demand.

As an association, we’ve seen firsthand how this instability affects not just the workers, but the individuals and families relying on them for care. If we don’t invest in this workforce through higher wages, better benefits, and accessible training opportunities, care at home simply won’t be sustainable.

We’ll continue to raise this issue with policymakers and partners, and we welcome your voice in this conversation. 

Together, we can push for the changes needed to ensure home health aides are recognized, respected, and retained.

You can read the full report here.