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Seniors are choosing to age in place. Can home care aide numbers keep up with the trend?

River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

Also, a look at the waning days of the 2022 Legislative session, the wet spring's impact on planting and a run of layoffs at an Iowa grocery chain.

The trend of deinstitutionalization means more seniors are choosing to stay in their homes. The population of adults age 60 and older is expected to increase 30 percent by 2050. This will mean greater demand for in-house helpers, so-called home health aides.

On this episode of River to River, host Ben Kieffer speaks with IPR's Natalie Krebs to talk about her reporting on this trend and the extent to which Iowa's supply of aides is prepared to meet that demand.

Then we hear from Shehan Karunatilaka, a Sri Lankan writer, about his novels, cricket and Iowa's combination of "stimulation and solitude."

Also this hour, we hear about the yet-unended 2022 Legislative session, see what farmers are anticipating for spring planting, why Hy-vee cut 500 corporate jobs and get some new music for the weekend.

Guests:

  • Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for The Gazette in Cedar Rapids
  • Angie Rieck-Hinz, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension’s north-central office
  • Linh Ta, Des Moines reporter for Axios
  • Natalie Krebs, covers health for IPR
  • Shehan Karunatilaka, writer-in-residence, International Writing Program at the University of Iowa.
  • Mark Simmet, host of IPR Studio One
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Zachary Oren Smith is a reporter covering Eastern Iowa
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