The long-term services and supports sector must reimagine the direct care workforce, making employees feel more valued, to reduce turnover and improve recruitment, according to a new analysis. âDirect care professionals face many challenges and are not valued for their essential role to care for older adults and people with disabilities,â explained authors Robyn Stone and Natasha Bryant, with LeadingAgeâs LTSS Center @UMass Boston. Stone is LeadingAgeâs senior vice president of research and co-director of the center, while Bryant is a managing director and senior research associate at the center. âPrograms and policies are needed to stabilize and strengthen the quality of the workforce by investing in competency-based training, providing living wages and benefits, and offering career development opportunities,â they added.