Theres a severe shortage of people to care for older Americans in their homes and nursing facilities, and things are only expected to get worse. Could providing long-term care workers with new career pathways be part of the solution?

Indiana elder care providers are tapping state legislators to help recruit and retain workers as the coronavirus pandemic continues to exacerbate strains on nursing facility staffs.

According to the state's vaccine dashboard, only about half of Indiana’s long-term care workers are currently vaccinated.

Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said directives from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services order nursing homes to allow visits at all times.

The measure approved by the Indiana Senate would require health facilities to allow at least one caretaker to visit a resident during compassionate care situations.

Indiana would require all nursing homes to allow at least some limited visitation for their residents -- even during a pandemic -- under legislation unanimously approved by a Senate committee Wednesday.

COVID-19 is surging in nursing homes and similar facilities across the U.S. Recently, the nation's nursing homes saw a record 12,000 new weekly cases. We examine the issue through a woman who is dealing with her mother's COVID case.

With more people seeing lasting health problems after having COVID-19, more are wondering if they need to make a long-term care plan.