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https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/opinion/home-care-aides-industry.html

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Good Evening,

One of the problems is the top-dogs want all of the $$$. I think an aide should be paid at least $30 per hour. This is back-breaking work. It is undervalued and oftentimes leads to back trouble, etc. These private companies want the most work for the least amount of $$$.

Keep in mind gas has gone up so that's another issue with the bottom line. CNA's need to unionize and be paid a just and fair wage. My Lord, you could sell mascara online from your kitchen table with that low of pay.

It is my opinion that many of the refugees in Europe will be the caregivers of the elderly. Take for example Italy where the population growth is at an all-time low since no one is having children and the millennials are forced to leave their country and seek work in other places. Who cares for the loved ones left behind?

During the Pandemic, the Eastern European Refugees were caring for the elderly in Europe (Italy) when all of a sudden they had no place to go. Children came for their parents and the refugees were basically left homeless and they couldn't fly anywhere.

Caregiving is dirty work. When I look at what athletes are paid I can't get over it. Wouldn't it be nice if family took their loved ones in but it doesn't always work that way for a number of reasons.

It shouldn't be treated where we look at caregiving like ok you are lucky not to be living in a worn-torn country, we are taking you into our country, you're lucky you can find work, have the refugees do it. This demanding, grueling work should be paid in a dignified manner including--medical, dental, prescription, eyecare, pension, 10 sick days/vacation, gas mileage and paid training on a continuing basis, CPR Training etc. and a classy uniform. It's watered down to custodial work and these are human beings on both sides, the caregiver and the patient.

It's good everyone is talking about this but have you seen the salaries for these top hospital executive and health insurance companies. No one is worth that. The nurses are all overworked and short-staffed. Again, the bottom line is $$$

Enough said...
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That was a good article. As someone who worked as a caregiver for pay and someone who now is an unpaid caregiver for family, I'm honestly surprised that the elder care system hasn't completely collapsed. It's more than just pay for home health aides, which is abysmally low. The benefits are usually worse than the pay, if there are any at all. The last private caregiving agency I worked at, was excited to let me know during orientation that they were generously giving me five whole sick days! Which recently became something that employers were legally required to give their workers by my state. That's it. No health insurance, vacation days, or 401k. Plus many places will hire people off the street, and will send them to clients before even training them. In order to solve the problem, caregivers have to be given the training, pay and benefits and be treated like actual professionals, especially if anyone expects them to put up with the Baby Boomers.
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Thanks, Snoopy, I Googled NYT/Many of Us Want to Age at Home and the article came right up. It is a good one, but each state has it's "good's and bad's" so to speak. NY might not be the best example.

I am paying $18 an hour for an aide who has no training whatsoever. She told me she was hired, given our address, told to call about the times, and sent here. It's alright at this time as all she has to do is be here while I make a grocery run or have an appointment of my own. I just want someone in the house with my DH in case of outside emergency which I know he cannot handle. This is an agency hire, so I know she is not getting $18 an hour. Medical aides are also offered at this agency, not sure yet if the costs are the same.

The baby boom generation is following along behind many of us, and they are more demanding, more entitled, just more people aging at the same time. This is going to cause change to happen, good or bad yet to be seen. There is already such a need for aides and not many available. COVID crisis probably did drive many people out of this line of work, plus the fact as stated, thanks mstrbill, that you cannot make a living on such low wages.

Good discussion, as always, God bless everybody! TGIF.....as if it matters to most of us what exact day it is! :)
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Countrymouse, I think we should have a whole discussion on that. To me, caregivers are doing God's work, and at the very least they should be compensated enough so they don't have to lack for -housing, nutritious food, complete health care coverage. automobile, and enough left over to save for later in life. You certainly can't do this on $13/hr in today's USA.
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Interesting. There was a lot of good back and forth in the comments.

I thought NYT gives non-subscribers 2 or so free articles a month, so those having a problem might try accessing from a different device, or Googling a bit. The headline is “Many of Us Want to Age at Home.”
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I'm sorry Geaton, and to all, I didn't realize that.
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You can't see the article without a subscription.
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It is a good article, and the comments in reply are interesting too. Thank you for the link.

Just out of interest (and possibly to set the cat among the pigeons :/) - how much do we all think home health aides should be paid, then, eh?
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