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WavesAuthor: APTA Michigan
The official podcast of APTA Michigan Language: en-us Genres: Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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78: PT and the Michigan Baby Boom w/ Aleysha Czartoszewski
Sunday, 2 August, 2026
Healthcare Workforce at the Brink: Baby Boomers Turn 80 andWhat It Means for Physical Therapy in Michigan Host Andy Wicks discusses Michigan’s rapidly aging population—baby boomers turning 80, nearly 19.25% of residents over 65, and a nearly 30% rise in that group through 2023—and the resulting healthcare workforce shortfall. Guest Aleysha Czartoszewski, Career Pathways Coordinator at the Michigan Health Council, explains the Council’s workforcefocus and her three-part series “Healthcare Workforce at the Brink,” highlighting simultaneous increased care demand and retirements. They note uneven provider distribution with rural North Michigan and the UP facing access gaps, limited local PT/PTA education options, and barriers like housing and paydifferences. The conversation covers efforts such as loan-repayment incentives, promoting geriatrics and prevention to help people age in place, improving student career exposure and clearer pathways, retaining staff after COVID-related burnout, and strengthening care coordination and patientnavigation; resources are available at mhc.org. 00:00 Michigan Is Aging Fast01:05 Meet Michigan Health Council02:11 Baby Boomers Turn 8003:30 Urban vs Rural Shortages05:34 Education Gaps and Incentives09:40 Making Geriatrics Appealing15:10 Pipeline Retention Coordination22:10 Health Literacy and Navigation26:15 Michigan Workforce Numbers28:35 Soapbox Career Exposure32:58 Resources and Wrap UpMichigan PTs and PTAs! Fill out this form and save for your records for PDR credit toward license renewal just for listening to this episode!A link to a directory of all PT and PTA programs, viewable by state.The Career Pathway Tool via Michigan Health Council.
