Bob Stevens
In my seven years as a direct care worker, my profession has brought fulfillment and satisfaction to my life.
These are my rewards:
- Purpose. Helping people in need is a great reason for getting out of bed each day.
- Opportunity. Being in a position to make a difference by working and advocating for improved care is a privilege.
- Gratitude. I am showered with thanks and appreciation from the people I support, their families and friends, and my employer.
- Respect. I get treated with utmost esteem and courtesy for what I do by the people I support, their family and friends, my employer, my co-workers, healthcare professionals, my community and my family and friends. No office politics here!
- Knowledge. I constantly learn new things from the people I support and their environment.
- Training. My employers always make training opportunities available; some required, some not. I take advantage of every offering possible, as well as self-instruction online.
- Job Security. Since direct care work is among the fastest growing occupations and since there is such a shortage of workers, good direct care workers enjoy job security.
- Flexibility. I can work as many or as few hours as I want, when I want.
- Fair Wages. I receive fair compensation, consistent with that received by other direct care workers and health care industry professionals.
How could I reasonably ask for more?
See my next blog post for the answer – or tell me what you think by commenting below.
Bob Stevens
Direct Support Professional/Senior Caregiver
Graduate, 2009 Voices Institute National Leadership Program
Bob,
My reply is short and sweet.
Yours is an eloquent statement of what Direct Care and Direct Support Advocates are working for.
We will get there!
I love it! I love it! I love it!
Thank you Bob for this article. It is powerful. I really like your opened question: “How could I reasonably ask for more?” from this question resulted two analyses.
I think, first, “ask for more” means we don’t have ENOUGH. And this is true. We don’t have enough training, we don’t have enough pay, we don’t have enough benefits…
Second, “How could I reasonably ask” How? do I have to stay in my corner and say this will be changed some day? Wrong!
Do I have to say other direct care workers will make this change happened? Wrong!
We all, as direct care workers, need to be involved, engaged and must get into to process to make the change happened. We have different skills. Why can’t we, as leaders, use those skill for advocacy, to make a phone calls or a public speech, write a piece for the DCA blog to share our stories, or recruit new members to build our local association? I strongly believe, if you do all this, we will reasonably get ENOUGH.
Timothy
Bob, I agree with you, many direct care workers do have the respect, the benefits, the training. Things are changing slowly in this profession. Unfortunately, there are still the companies and employers who see the dcw as expendable, and there is always someone willing to work for 8.50 and hour and no bennies.
Our clients who want to live at home and remain a part of the community are put in harm’s way because of these beliefs. Until the direct care profession is recognized and workers are rewarded for the skills they bring, there will always be a reason to unite, speak out and advocate.
Great job, Bob. You are one of a very few.
Here’s how I’ve experienced direct care work.
Purpose: To help those in long term care who are sorely ignored
Opportunity: To meet the amazing folks who give you history if you listen
Gratitude: To see the look in the elderly and the dying who are so grateful for what we do .
Respect: It took me years to earn respect from my supervisors and peers. In some places i still fight for respect
Knowledge: I am so lucky to have had the opportunity i have in enjoying the education that places me on a national board of directors representing nurse aides.
Training: I am now an offical trainer to our nurse aides in end of life care in long-term care settings
Job Security: Where I come from there is no job security.
Fleibility: I work when my job says work, but I do have some privileges for being on the board of directors.
Fair Wages: Today I asked my supervisor why did i not get a raise, She said the company put a cap on how much we can make. My sister could not believe my wages after 15 years with the same company.
So Bob, you’re one of the lucky ones. Please keep up the good work! It is because of people like you that I will continue to be heard.
Renee J. Tillman
Bob, You always make me think and I found your blog to be very thought-provoking. I think that it’s important that all of us advocates continue to think critically about our own attitudes and positions and remain analytical of our messages and how they are potentially being received in order to be as effective as we can be in affecting system changes in the direct care/support world. Thank you!
Bob, thanks for letting us direct care workers knows that there is alot of benifits and self rewards we get for the jobs we do(not the money) but the difference you make in other people”s life.
Great job Bob.Here is my take on direct care work. My purpose in this work is to advocate for those I care for to see that their needs are met. I work in long term care with dementia residents and many of them cannot speak for themselves. I become their ears, eyes and voice. I have had the opportunity to care for some pretty amazing elders who have shared many very interesting tales of their lives. I receive many thanks thru out my day both from my residents and their families but not always from my supervisors. The only lack of respect I get is mostly from some of my immediate supervisors. They still think of the dcw as beneath them but I will continue to work to change this thru my state association. The knowledge I have gained thru my 18 plus years as a dcw has been truly amazing. Most of my wealth of knowledge can be directly contributed to my residents. I am willing to take any extra training my employer offers and have often taken training on-line which has helped me understand the complexities of dealing with dementia and alzheimer’s residents. My job is secure for there will always be a need for us. I feel my wages are fair but only because I work for a union facility but I always maintain direct care workers are never truly paid what they are worth.