April 2026

Supporting Caregivers, Strengthening Care

On April 14, 2026 by Gina DiMaggio

Caregivers are the backbone of aging services in Minnesota. Every day, they provide essential support that allows older adults to live with dignity, safety, and connection. Their work is constant—and critical.

But in times of uncertainty, even the most committed workforce faces challenges that extend far beyond the workplace.

This spring, the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $425,000 through the Caregiver Support in Times of Uncertainty initiative. While the funding is important, what matters most is the reason behind it: supporting caregivers as people—so they can feel safe, stable, and able to continue the work they care deeply about. When caregivers are supported in their daily lives, they are better able to show up for the people and communities who rely on them.

Across the state, providers are navigating conditions that feel both urgent and familiar—echoing the early days of COVID-19, when circumstances were rapidly changing, fear and uncertainty were high, and providers were asked to continue delivering essential care under extraordinary strain. These pressures don’t stay contained within organizations; they ripple outward, affecting families, communities, and the broader system of care.

It is also important to recognize that long-term care is one of the most highly regulated sectors in the country. Providers operate under strict federal and state requirements related to employment eligibility, licensing, and compliance. The caregiving workforce in these settings is legally authorized to work—individuals who have gone through appropriate processes to live and work in the United States. Despite this, broader uncertainty and changing conditions can still create fear and disruption that affect employees’ sense of safety and stability.

Providers shared what this looks like in real terms:

• Caregivers changing routes, traveling longer distances, or incurring higher transportation costs to feel safe getting to and from work
• Staff adjusting schedules or relocating—sometimes across state lines—to reduce risk and uncertainty
• Employees reporting being followed after shifts or taking precautions to avoid being seen during commutes
• Increased absences tied directly to fear and safety concerns, with some organizations seeing sharp spikes in missed shifts
• Workforce losses that significantly strain operations, with some sites losing substantial portions of their caregiving staff
• Leaders stepping in with hands-on support—coordinating transportation or personally driving staff—to ensure care continues

These challenges are not theoretical. They directly impact whether care is available, consistent, and sustainable.

Meeting Needs in Practical, Human Ways

The Foundation designed this initiative with a simple premise: the people closest to the work are best positioned to identify what support is needed.

Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the grants we’re awarding support flexible, locally driven solutions that reflect the realities caregivers face every day. Across funded efforts, common themes emerged—approaches that are practical, widely supported, and centered on helping people stay safe, stable, and able to work:

• Expanding access to mental health support through employee assistance programs, on-site services, and virtual care options at no cost to staff
• Strengthening real-time communication and safety through tools like mass notification systems and emergency alerts
• Providing short-term stabilization support, including help with groceries, transportation, utilities, and housing to reduce immediate financial stress
• Enhancing building security and emergency preparedness to create safer work environments
• Creating on-site supports, such as food shelves or resource hubs, that help meet everyday needs and reduce barriers to coming to work

These are straightforward investments in people. They reflect a shared understanding across sectors: when caregivers are supported, the entire care system is stronger.

A Shared Interest Across Communities

Minnesota’s aging services sector is at a pivotal moment. Demand for care continues to grow, while workforce challenges persist, with thousands of open caregiving positions statewide. Addressing this gap requires more than recruitment—it requires retaining and supporting the workforce we already have. When retention is unstable, new hires simply replace those leaving, making it difficult to build the workforce needed to meet growing demand.

This is where partnership matters.

• For providers, it means listening closely to staff and responding quickly.
• For philanthropic partners, it means investing in flexible solutions that meet real-time needs.
• For the broader community, it means recognizing the essential role every kind of caregiver plays in the health and wellbeing of us all.

Supporting caregivers is not a partisan issue—it is a practical one. It is about stability, continuity, and ensuring that older adults across Minnesota continue to receive the care they need.

Looking Forward

The Caregiver Support in Times of Uncertainty grants are designed to address immediate challenges. But they also point to something bigger: the value of responsive, community-informed solutions that can be mobilized when the workforce—and the people it serves—need support most.

At its core, this work reflects a simple idea that resonates across perspectives: when we support caregivers, we strengthen care.

And when care is strong, communities are stronger too.