But there is a nationwide shortage of aides. The problem is especially acute in Pennsylvania, where 16 percent of the population, or 2.5 million people, is classified as elderly. Only Florida has a larger percentage of seniors. Around the region, county waiting lists range from the 100 in Chester County to a high of 500 in Montgomery County. Sometimes residents wait a year for an aide.
Experts say the shortage is caused by low pay, lack of health benefits, and demands of the job.
Because many seniors cannot afford private service, counties often pay some of the cost for an aide - and in some cases the entire tab. If the full amount is not paid, the client pays the rest. That's if an aide can be found. Even when applicants can be found, some resist bouncing from home to home for short stints, preferring full-time hours in one location. Jonathan Golluber, one of the directors of Silver Lining Home Health Care Inc., said his company gets a dozen new applicants a week without advertising.