Doug Hano helped his wife, Kirsten, in the kitchen of their home. Doug has struggled to find home care for Kirsten, who was diagnosed at age 53 with early onset Alzheimer's. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

“In many respects, it’s easier to open a home care agency than a pizza shop in the Commonwealth.”

That quote—from Harrison Collins, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts—sets the tone for today’s Boston Globe feature on the lack of oversight in non-medical home care. With one statement, it captures the gap families face every day when trying to secure safe, reliable care for loved ones at home.

The Globe’s coverage brings long-needed public attention to an issue the Home Care Alliance has been advocating on for years. Massachusetts remains one of only a few states without a formal licensing framework for non-medical home care agencies, despite serving thousands of vulnerable residents.

"In a state where barbers, manicurists, and massage therapists must be licensed, home care agencies providing nonmedical support are subject to shockingly little oversight, despite the profound vulnerability of the people who rely on them."

Earlier this month, the Massachusetts House passed legislation that would establish agency licensing, worker training requirements, background checks, service transparency, and enforcement through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services—reforms long supported by the Alliance and its members.

By lifting up both the human impact and the policy need, today’s Globe story helps move this critical conversation forward. The Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts remains actively engaged as the legislation advances to the Senate.

Full article is avaiable to Boston Globe subcribers here: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/30/metro/home-care-massachusetts-senior-alzheimers-regulate/?p1=BGSearch_Overlay_Results