Archive for ‘as leaders’

Wisconsin Honors Exceptional Direct Care Workers and Employers

Posted by on October 4th, 2011 at 8:23 am | 1 Comment »

Tracy Dudzinski

Every year here in Wisconsin we honor four direct care workers, one supervisor of direct care workers, and one administrator in long term care. I was honored to present the awards last week to my fellow direct care workers.

I got to visit with most of the winners before the presentation, which was at a luncheon at the Wisconsin Personal Services Association conference. Vivian Havens has been a direct care worker for 45 years, 25 of which have been for her current employer. She is 80 years old. I call that dedication. Continue reading »

Talking to Senator Collins about the Companionship Exemption

Posted by on September 20th, 2011 at 12:37 am | 3 Comments »

A simple phone call can help educate your senator about the needs of direct care workers—and he or she may be more receptive than you might expect, as this report from Voices Institute graduate Ted Rippy demonstrates.

Senator Susan Collins of Maine

Senator Collins

Late last month, I had the opportunity to talk to Maine’s Senator Susan M. Collins about the Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act. The conversation was very relaxed and took place over the phone. She was a very gracious lady, so talking to her just felt like talking to another human being.

Senator Collins asked why minimum wage and overtime protections weren’t already in place for home care workers. I explained that in 1974 the Fair Labor Standards Act companionship exemption was removed from domestic workers like chauffeurs, butlers, cooks, gardeners, maids, and nannies, but not from home care workers because, back then, home care was a simple thing, more like asking a neighbor to check in on Mom or Dad than the skilled profession it is today. Senator Collins responded by saying that home care aides have become more professional over the years. Continue reading »

Getting Past Our Preconceptions About the Oldest Old

Posted by on August 29th, 2011 at 6:00 pm | 8 Comments »

The nurse came into the hospital room, still scanning my mother’s chart. He was radiating the manic cheeriness that nearly every other member of the staff had aimed at her since we got there, a fake friendliness I’d grown to hate. I could practically see the data he’d just processed scrolling behind his eyes: 90 years old, female, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, here for a pacemaker.

“Do you mind if I call you Jean?” he bellowed.

“No, not if I can call you by your first name,” she said. “But if you want me to call me by your last name, then I want you to call me by mine.”

“Okay, fine,” he shouted. “Do you know what you’re here for, Jean?” Continue reading »

Believe, Achieve, Succeed

Posted by on August 22nd, 2011 at 1:13 pm | 4 Comments »

Tracy Dudzinski

Being elected the chair of the board of directors for the Direct Care Alliance at our annual meeting this year was a great honor and an important step in a leadership journey I’ve been on for a few years. It’s also been an honor to work with my talented fellow board members, including several new Voices Institutes graduates who began serving their terms this year.

As many of you already know, I am the chair of the board of directors for a worker-owned home care cooperative I work for in Wisconsin. A few years ago, I became chair of the Wisconsin Direct Caregiver Alliance, and I am on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Long Term Care Workforce Alliance.

But being the chair of a powerful national organization like the DCA brings new opportunities and responsibilities. My fellow direct care worker board members and I are responsible for representing the voice of the workers. We make up the majority of the board members, and that is an excellent start, but it’s our responsibility to make sure that our voices are heard loud and clear–not just within the DCA but in wider discussions about the work we do. Over the next year, I plan to help the DCA become better recognized as the voice of direct care workers.
Continue reading »

Care, Committment and Coffee Series Concludes with Norman Thomas of New York

Posted by on August 8th, 2011 at 3:02 pm | No Comments »

At the 2011 Voices Institute Leadership Training, DCA communications director, Josh Sabato sat down to speak with direct care worker, Norman Thomas to discuss the most pressing issues facing direct care workers.  Mr. Thomas is a direct care worker at Beth Abraham Family Services in Bronx, New York.

The DCA recently teamed up with Beth Abraham and other home care employers in New York to provide a comprehensive training for direct care workers on job safety, emergency preparedness and other skills training to better equip workers with additional tools to care for elders and persons living with disabilities.  For more information about how other employers and workers can partner with us to help create a stronger more stable direct care workforce contact the DCA today!

Care, Commitment and Coffee with Melva Proctor of Virginia!

Posted by on August 1st, 2011 at 4:04 pm | No Comments »

At the 2011 Voices Institute Leadership Training, DCA communications director, Josh Sabato sat down to speak with direct care worker, Melva Proctor to discuss the most pressing issues facing direct care workers and how other activists can get involved in direct care advocacy in Virginia.


Care, Commitment and Coffee with Joan Leah and June Ortiz of Florida!

Posted by on July 18th, 2011 at 12:44 pm | No Comments »

At the 2011 Voices Institute Leadership Training, DCA communications director, Josh Sabato sat down to speak with direct care workers, Joan and June to discuss the most pressing issues facing direct care workers and how other activists can get involved in direct care advocacy in Florida.


DCA Honors Evelyn Coke’s Legacy by Fighting for the Future of Direct Care Workers

Posted by on July 12th, 2011 at 7:09 pm | No Comments »

Last Saturday, June 9th marked the two year anniversary of the death of Ms. Evelyn Coke, a leader in the fight for economic justice for America’s home care workers.  A home care worker herself for 20 years, who often worked 70 hours a week for less than $5.15 an hour, Ms. Coke took her case for unpaid overtime wages all the way to the Supreme Court in 2007.  Unfortunately for Ms. Coke, the court ruled that she was not entitled to any retroactive wages from her former employer.  Fortunately, she inspired a movement for the fair and ethical treatment of millions of direct care workers across the country.  In the spirit of that movement, since 2007 the DCA has led efforts to change the FLSA through legislation in Congress and by calling on the Dept. of Labor to extend minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers.

Last year the DCA began efforts on Capitol Hill to pass the Direct Care Workforce Empowerment Act, a bill that would have finally extend minimum wage and overtime benefits to home care workers.  This year, the DCA is continuing that fight with the introduction and advocacy for the Direct Care Job Quality Improvement Act, sponsored by Rep. Linda Sanchez in the House and Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. in the Senate.  At a briefing hosted by the DCA on Capitol Hill to announce the legislation last month, Rep. Sanchez aptly stated, “They (direct care workers) care for our parents and grandparents, but we don’t guarantee home care workers the minimum wage. It is my hope that this bill corrects this injustice and helps improve the direction of direct care services.”  In the coming weeks and months, the DCA will continue to build support and advocate for the passage of this critical legislation.  We urge everyone who supports the vital role direct care workers play in our society to ask their representatives in Congress to co-sponsor this legislation today.

Continue reading »

Care, Commitment and Coffee with Muhanna S. Kakish of Minnesota

Posted by on July 12th, 2011 at 7:04 pm | No Comments »

At the 2011 Voices Institute Leadership Training, DCA communications director, Josh Sabato sat down to speak with direct care worker, Muhanna S. Kakish to discuss the most pressing issues facing direct care workers and how other activists can get involved in direct care advocacy in Minnesota.  DCA Speaks with Muhanna S. Kakish at 2011 Voices Institute Training.

Care, Commitment and Coffee with Elizabeth Cross of Arizona!

Posted by on July 5th, 2011 at 2:30 pm | No Comments »

At the 2011 Voices Institute Leadership Training, DCA communications director, Josh Sabato sat down to speak with direct care worker, Elizabeth Cross to discuss the most pressing issues facing direct care workers and how other activists can get involved in direct care advocacy in Arizona.  DCA Speaks with Elizabeth Cross at 2011 Voices Institute Training.

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