Home care workers deserve a living wage

Dear Editor,

Home care work is essential for older adults to age safely and with dignity in their homes and communities.

When I managed two large Section 8 properties in Kingston for people over 62, those who had in-home care were able to stay independent and age in place. As a result, they lived a better quality of life than if they were shuffled into a nursing home.

As New York’s aging population grows and nursing homes prove dangerous for seniors during the coronavirus pandemic, home care workers are in high demand. Over 500,000 families use home care in the state, and that number will only grow as our state continues to age (according to the Home Care Association of New York State).

The home care sector cannot meet the rising demand due to low pay. Too many seniors are struggling to find home care workers, because the job pays about $12 an hour in our area. When I had to hire a home care aide for my 90-year-old mother, who lived independently, we paid her $15 per hour. That was five years ago.

As a result of low wages, 45 percent of the state’s direct care workers live in or near poverty. Due to low wages, home care workers are leaving the workforce in droves right when we need them most. Twenty-four percent of New York’s home care patient consumers are unable to access services at all.

These essential workers should be paid a living wage. This insanity has got to STOP! #FairPayForHomeCare

Francesca Ortolano

Boiceville, N.Y.