Homecare allows seniors and people with disabilities to stay healthy at home and it keeps people out of more costly institutions. And even though in-home caregivers across America save the government billions of dollars every year, they continue to be undervalued and underpaid.
United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930), made up of 66,000 homecare providers across California, celebrates National Family Caregiver Month in November. This year we’ve launched a brand-new video series called Thank You Caregivers to honor caregivers and share the stories of some of the people who work tirelessly throughout the year to care for seniors and people disabilities.
People like Camilla Bradford, a Moreno Valley woman who cares for her brother Reggie round-the-clock. Reggie has schizophrenia and developmental disabilities, but in the past six years since being in Camilla’s care, he’s progressed leaps and bounds. Watch their story here.
“While we acknowledge and give thanks in November, we must support caregivers year-round,” says Doug Moore, UDW Executive Director and an AFSCME International Vice President. “Most caregivers earn poverty-level wages with no sick days, vacation days, or a retirement plan. Some don’t even get Social Security. This has to change.”
In California, UDW is taking action to win improvements for caregivers and clients in the state’s homecare program, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). This year, we successfully won paid overtime for IHSS providers for the first time in history.
As we move forward, we can continue to show our appreciation for caregivers raising wages, ending cuts to hours of care for seniors and people with disabilities, and working to ensure paid sick leave for all.
Today we say THANK YOU CAREGIVERS! Thank you for providing compassionate care to our loved ones and neighbors. Let’s treat every month like homecare provider appreciation month coming together to stand up for caregivers.
