The Direct Care Alliance has sent a letter to President-elect Barack Obama (PDF), asking him to include direct care jobs in the economic stimulus package he plans to institute soon after taking office.
”While we support investment in basic infrastructure and ‘green jobs,’ we also emphasize the strong need to generate ‘pink jobs’ that create or improve opportunities for women,” the letter says. “Many of these jobs are in the care sector of our economy, and a number of economists have emphasized the long-run benefits of public investment in that sector.”
It is so wonderful to see a letter like this to our President-elect – and signed by a nursing assistant. WOW! Another first for our direct care worker scrapbook.
–Jeni Gipson
Director, National Network of Career Nursing Assistants
Speaking from the perspective of a direct care worker, I agree with everything that was stated in the letter. I believe with the number of DCWs that will be needed, the public’s perception of the direct care profession needs to change and the government could have an impact on this. Until home care workers are granted the basic protections offered by the Fair Labor and Standards Act this perception will not change.
What kind of message is the government sending to the home care worker? I believe they are telling the home care worker that their job is not important and they are not important, but without the home care worker many people would not be able to stay in their home, and most people would prefer to age in place.
Not only is the wrong message being sent to the home care worker, the wrong message is also being sent to the Americans who are receiving services in their home. The care they receive is not important enough that the worker should receive the basic protection of the FLSA.
I work for a small home care company in Wisconsin that is owned by the caregivers. We are a cooperative, and the caregivers run the company. As a company we can recruit and recruit workers, but until we are able to pay a livable wage we will have a hard time retaining workers. Retention is a large part of being able to provide quality care for the elderly and persons with disabilities that we serve.
We are fortunate that because we own the business we have a little more invested in the company than an employee, would so retention is not so hard for us, but most companies have a hard time retaining the quality of worker they would like because of poor wages and lack of benefits.
Tracy Dudzinski
I appreciate the comments of Tracy and Jeni. Tracy is a fellow advocate I met during a DCA leadership development program, the Voices Institute. We have realized that our direct care worker voices are valuable and have not been heard for far too long. Let’s keep raising our voices with all who support direct care workers. Let Obama hear us and let the world hear us. We are asking for and deserve what is “American”- respect, dignity, and opportunity. Livable wages and health care would be a way to show us respect. We serve our nation by supporting our friends, family and neighbors who have disabilities and who are aging. It’s time for change and the recommendations in the DCA letter make sense not just for our field, but for the United States of America.
Thank you for drafting this letter to our new President. It has been my goal to see that home health care workers are paid a wage that can sustain them. Although my client is usually in a different financial position than the average, I still am able to get a better wage for those hired by middle Americans in need.
I am a small business entrepreneur but will do whatever I can in Oregon to assist in your vision.
Jetta Smith
Executive Caregivers
I think it is important that each of us send the letter stating your support of its recommendations to your senators, congress representatives and the President Elect himself. If enough people do this, the issue may actually motivate action.
LV