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Kelt · 08-09-2018, 07:21 PM

I'm posting the third week installment of the PBS Newshour video series,

The Cost of Care: The U.S. needs more home care workers. Is this the solution?

Again link only as it is not YouTube. The first couple are posted upthread.

"America's home care shortage is critical, and growing. The industry's shortage seems to be driven by low wages, few benefits and a lack of respect for workers, 90 percent of whom are women. Would giving them more responsibilities and more training help workers earn more?"

This issue has hit home with me twice this week, first on Monday the primary caregiver in the sister home to the one my mother is in called in and quit with no notice. Resources are being stretched across the board to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. The place where she lives is excellent but they are having such a hard time finding people that one of the houses had to be shut down due to lack of staff.

Second, I have an extra caregiver from the outside that I bring in twice a week to take my mother out for walks in parks, outing for a change of pace and exercise, and frequently a lunch out. It's good for her and she looks forward to these as a treat. Obviously when I am in town I get to do this with her. This morning I got a call from this caregivers sister about a family tragedy which will take her out of things, maybe forever. I have the utmost respect for her and feel horrible about what happened to her. I also have to find new help in a town that doesn't seem to have the resources. I use an agency that I helped get up and running a couple of years ago so should not have too much trouble though hiring is almost impossible even for this higher paying situation. This is a chronic situation that is only getting worse nationwide.

This is not a problem with medicaid for us as it is for many and even worse than the shortages I am talking about.

The linked video talks about the economics and shortages in the system. I hope policymakers start to wake up to the scope of the issue.

08-09-2018, 07:21 PM	#435
Kelt Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Beach Butch Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 2,751 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 19,765 Thanked 15,379 Times in 2,541 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	I'm posting the third week installment of the PBS Newshour video series, The Cost of Care: The U.S. needs more home care workers. Is this the solution? Again link only as it is not YouTube. The first couple are posted upthread. "America's home care shortage is critical, and growing. The industry's shortage seems to be driven by low wages, few benefits and a lack of respect for workers, 90 percent of whom are women. Would giving them more responsibilities and more training help workers earn more?" This issue has hit home with me twice this week, first on Monday the primary caregiver in the sister home to the one my mother is in called in and quit with no notice. Resources are being stretched across the board to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. The place where she lives is excellent but they are having such a hard time finding people that one of the houses had to be shut down due to lack of staff. Second, I have an extra caregiver from the outside that I bring in twice a week to take my mother out for walks in parks, outing for a change of pace and exercise, and frequently a lunch out. It's good for her and she looks forward to these as a treat. Obviously when I am in town I get to do this with her. This morning I got a call from this caregivers sister about a family tragedy which will take her out of things, maybe forever. I have the utmost respect for her and feel horrible about what happened to her. I also have to find new help in a town that doesn't seem to have the resources. I use an agency that I helped get up and running a couple of years ago so should not have too much trouble though hiring is almost impossible even for this higher paying situation. This is a chronic situation that is only getting worse nationwide. This is not a problem with medicaid for us as it is for many and even worse than the shortages I am talking about. The linked video talks about the economics and shortages in the system. I hope policymakers start to wake up to the scope of the issue.