The New York Times have just published an article entitled, ” Caring for the Caregivers ” and while I read the piece, I shook my head a few times thinking about the implications of the article and what I know from my perspective in the eldercare industry. One of the first things I learned in this business is that when it is feasible, most people want to age in place, meaning live in their homes with whatever help, be it homecare and/or technology, they need for as long as they can. America’s aging population is increasing and there is also an ongoing shortage of homecare aides to help this burgeoning group do what they want, which is to stay comfortably in their own homes.

But, as the article pointed out:

” According to the Labor Department, personal and home care aides are expected to be the second fastest-growing occupation in the United States from 2006–2016, increasing by 51 percent, slightly behind the expected growth in systems and data communications analysts. “

And who exactly are these people who come into the home to care for your parents? The NY Times article points it out succinctly, ” most home care aides are women, low income and minority, and many of them are immigrants. ” And although ,some states have taken steps to provide them with basic labor protections, most of these women work for agencies that under the existing federal guidelines are allowed to mark them as companions, leaving them with no rights to overtime and minimum wages. This is not to say all agencies take advantage of this fact, there are many that have realized the efficiency of low-staff turnover and treating their workers accordingly. This sector of healthcare is growing rapidly and yet many of its workers are not protected. And they should be, because they are the backbone of the aging in place movement; the ones supporting and tending to the needs of our elders in their homes.  So, what is being done to solve this issue?

Right now the Service Employees International Union are now working to unionize homecare workers in every state. Washington and Montana have unionized homecare workers, while here in California, there is still in-fighting ongoing between the unions. Many have voiced the opinion that new legislation has to be passed by the Labor Department to offer greater federal protection for homecare workers. I truly believe that this is one surefire way to keep these workers happy and safe. (Yep, that’s a nudge, President Obama, but I do realize you are very busy these days.) In the end, it all circles back to quality of care. Happy, well-paid, well-trained workers who work for agencies with low turnover are, and will always be, the ones delivering the highest quality of long term care to our mothers, fathers and possible even us one day.