WASHINGTON, May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — April job growth numbers reflect increased need for skilled home healthcare services as thousands of jobs are added to the sector -

A Department of Labor (DOL) report released last week signaled that 19,000 American jobs were added in April, primarily resulting from 15,000 new jobs in the ambulatory care field, which includes the home healthcare sector. This news comes at a critical time as the economy and American job creation remain a top priority for all lawmakers.

As Americans are living longer lives, their need for healthcare services is increasing. Currently, there are nearly 78 million Baby Boomers in America, a population that experts anticipate will experience increased need for health services due to age and chronic disease.

The home healthcare community is dedicated to meeting this challenge, according to the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, a national coalition representing more than 1,500 community- and hospital-based skilled home healthcare agencies. Today, approximately 500,000 home healthcare professionals provide treatment to 3.5 million Medicare beneficiaries for illnesses related to acute, chronic and rehabilitative needs.