The COVID Care Economy Collapse

Abstract

Covid19 has created a care economy collapse. As a result of the pandemic, salary incentive programs have been created to encourage Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) to participate in Covid related programs. Many of these programs pay significantly more than the typical salary for LVNs working in home care. As a result, there has become a storage of available LVNs to work with vulnerable populations that need in-home care. Diving into the reasons for the shortage, this study also points to a secondary cause in a salary analysis within Los Angeles County. Results indicate that the average salary LVN salary in LA County is unsustainable for a single parent home. Research has previously shown that keeping people with disabilities in the home results in better outcomes than institutional placement. We will examine what can be done to address the shortage of at home LVN support before there is forced institutionalization.