At a recent panel discussion bringing together immigration and healthcare experts with researchers, participants talked about the role of immigration as one solution for the nation’s caregiving workforce crisis. Among the highlights:

• One researcher explained that they found that fewer older adults were institutionalized in local areas where there were more immigrants.
• According to statistics, institutionalization rates for older Americans was 10% lower between 1980 and 2000 because of increased immigration.
• Panelists suggested that the U.S. hasn’t kept pace with other countries regarding immigration policies and protections.
• Panelists agreed that the use of foreign-born workers in an essential component in any discussion of the aging services infrastructure.
• One panelist observed that current pathways for migrant labor to come to the U.S. are extremely inadequate. Most visa programs, they said, aren’t geared toward lower-skilled healthcare workers.

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