One year ago, Beth Herold, executive director of the county Area Agency on Aging, was distressed over the shortage of workers among the companies her agency contracts to perform services to low-income seniors in homes and high-rises across the county.

Her stress over care for the county’s most-vulnerable population has not eased, as the situation is even more dire this year.

Herold said while there were about 70 seniors in the 16001 and 16002 ZIP codes at this time last year, there are now 91 people on the list.

She said the Agency on Aging contracts with several companies that provide housekeepers, companions, shoppers, nurse aides and others to care for the low-income seniors in their homes or more frequently, in the high-rise senior apartment buildings owned by the county Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

She said the companies are trying their best to recruit workers, but the problem is widespread.

“It’s everywhere,” Herold said. “There are such a lack of individuals willing to work in that job right now.”

She said part of the problem is workers leaving the senior care field to accept other positions during the coronavirus pandemic, when many employers offered sign-on bonuses and higher wages.

Others grew weary of an increased workload caused by staffing shortages and burnout.

“There is no one reason,” Herold said.

She said the number of neglect and abuse cases reported to the Agency on Aging also has risen, from 65 at this time last year to 75 to 78.

“When staffing gets tight, and you are having a lot of people working a lot of hours, it sets up a perfect storm for clients not to be cared for,” Herold said.

She said neighbors, doctor’s offices, EMS responders, family members and even police have reported neglect to her agency.

She said a caseworker from the Agency on Aging visits the person reported as neglected or abused to assess the situation.

Because they have not received services, some seniors are lacking in hygiene or live in a cluttered, unclean or even unsafe home.

“Then we look at ways to remediate the situation and determine whether we can get services in there,” Herold said.

She said sending seniors to a nursing home to receive care has become difficult, as they are understaffed, as well.

She said while they are doing their best, many nursing homes have closed entire wings or floors due to staffing shortages.

“You just wish there were people out there who would work in some of these positions,” she said.

Other times, seniors who have been reported as neglected or abused are of sound mind and see no problem with their living situation.

“People have the right to make bad decisions,” Herold said. “Sometimes, people (who report neglect) get very irritated because it looks like we’re not doing anything, but they have the right to live how they want.”

She said while the Agency on Aging shied away from it last year, the situation has become so dire that seniors and their families are hiring friends or family members to work with clients.

The workers are then reimbursed for their services by the Agency on Aging.

Normally, the Agency on Aging wants only bonded, trained individuals to work with its clients.

“People are even having a hard time finding people to (work for them),” Herold said.

She said protective service cases have almost doubled in the last two years, and many cases can be linked to a lack of services.

“We generally hooked them up with services, but we can’t now,” Herold said.

She said many caseworkers and others at the Agency on Aging are pitching in and taking seniors boxes of food or occasional meals, or providing other basic services.

“When you’re in this field, you have a giving heart,” Herold said.

She doesn’t know where the heart-rending situation will end.

“We want to keep people in their homes, but if you can’t find people to work …” she said.