Luis Barajas, a seasoned financial planner with over three decades of experience, has firsthand knowledge of the increasing healthcare costs and the shortage of long-term care workers affecting millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities. As the CEO of International Private Wealth Advisors in Santa Ana, California, he notes, “It’s putting a lot of pressure on the finances of American households.”
Barajas, along with his younger brother, assists in caring for their nearly 90-year-old father and 81-year-old mother. “My mother recently suffered four strokes, was hospitalized, and is now homeward bound. Finding professional care has proven to be a complex task,” he shared.
His parents, who immigrated from Mexico in the late 1950s, lack long-term care insurance and have limited financial resources, complicating their situation further.
Experts in health policy highlight that the challenges of finding care will likely intensify, especially in light of the Trump administration’s tightening of immigration controls, visa regulations, and the recent Supreme Court ruling which ended Temporary Protected Status for Syrian and Haitian immigrants.
Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at KFF, a nonpartisan research group, emphasized this concern, stating that “Reducing immigrant participation in the healthcare workforce and the overall labor force will exacerbate existing labor shortages.”
Consequences of Stricter Immigration Policies on Care Workers
In recent years, immigrant workers have significantly contributed to the American economy, comprising 18.8% of the U.S. civilian workforce as of June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The medical sector employs a considerable number of these immigrants, with one in six healthcare workers—around 3.3 million individuals—being foreign-born.
A recent KFF analysis reveals that immigrants constitute 30% of direct care workers within long-term care settings, including nursing homes and home health care services. Notably, while the BLS data does not detail the legal status of foreign-born workers, the number of employed naturalized citizens rose from January 2025 to April 2026, mitigating a decline in non-national immigrant workers.
Pillai articulated that a more restrictive immigration policy will extend beyond mere bureaucracy—it poses healthcare complications that may severely impact countless American families. The increasing demand from an aging population combined with shrinking supply will inevitably lead to heightened costs for already scarce resources.
“The existing shortages in the long-term care workforce are likely to worsen. This transformation could lead to a dual setback,” Pillai remarked, suggesting that limited workforce availability will result in escalating service costs.
Financial Implications of Rising Care Costs
Barajas, author of “Finances Con Corazón: The Latino Journey to Financial Dignity,” reflects that his clientele has predominantly consisted of Hispanic professionals, including those in healthcare. Recent years have stirred unease regarding immigration status, prompting some individuals to either exit the industry or return to their home countries.
He elaborates that the caregiver shortage may inflate care expenses and create financial strain for many families. For instance, the cost of having a home aide for 44 hours a week surged to nearly $80,080 last year, as indicated in a March report from CareScout, a subsidiary of Genworth Financial. By 2025, the national median hourly wage for non-medical caregiver services increased by 3% to $35.
“Home health agencies are experiencing rising costs, which are subsequently passed on to consumers,” noted Abe Udochi, CEO of Concierge Healthcare Counseling in New York. In some regions, such as New York State, average rates for private home health services can reach approximately $40 an hour, while certain agencies in Connecticut charge as much as $70.
According to CareScout’s data, the daily expense for a private room in a nursing home in 2025 was expected to be $355, translating to an annual cost of around $129,575, with assisted living facilities averaging $74,400 annually.
To alleviate financial strains, Barajas advises individuals to evaluate their eligibility for long-term care insurance against potential out-of-pocket expenses for necessary care. He underscores the importance of viewing money as a tool for enhancing one’s quality of life, rather than merely a figure in a bank account.
