Senator Herbert Kohl

The Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act, originally introduced by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, has picked up two new sponsors in the Senate — Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Bob Casey (D-PA), and a lead sponsor in the House of Representatives — Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).

The bill aims to address the impending shortage of health care workers who are adequately trained and prepared to care for older Americans and incorporates major recommendations put forth in an Institute of Medicine report released in April 2008. Continue Reading

Candidate Obama with Pauline Beck, and "Mr. John"

As President Obama’s first term in office begins, we ask that he keep in mind Pauline Beck, a home care aide he spent a day with while on the campaign trail in the summer of 2007. Continue Reading

Dr. Jack Resnick

While making house calls for the past decade on Roosevelt Island, a small planned community famous for the aerial cable car that connects it to Manhattan,  one doctor has come to understand the importance of direct-care workers.

Dr. Jack Resnick believes that home-based care, especially with one doctor, looking out for us throughout our lives, can be done more competently and at a lower cost than institutional care. Continue Reading

PHI has released a fact sheet on Michigan’s direct-care workforce (pdf). The eight-page document reveals that while demand for workers  is at a historic high and growing, the labor pool is shrinking and poor job quality is adding to the difficulty of attracting and keeping new workers.

These factors, warns the fact sheet, are leading to a potential workforce crisis for the long-term care industry and the families who rely on long-term care services and supports.

Some key facts from the report:

• Roughly a quarter of the state‘s direct-care workers do not have any health insurance.
• A third of Michigan’s direct-care workers live in households that rely on some kind of public benefits, such as Medicaid or food stamps.
• In 2007, the average Michigan direct-care worker received an annual income of $16,446.

“The problem for Michigan,” says PHI Midwest Director Hollis Turnham,
“is that the low wages earned by most  direct-care workers put these jobs at income levels that do not support a family.

“Greater investment in direct-care jobs would make them more attractive to workers from shrinking industries like manufacturing, helping to keep Michigan residents employed here — rather than moving out of state.”

The document concludes with five policy recommendations for improving Michigan’s direct-care jobs including increasing wages, improving training, and improving access to health benefits.

Direct-care workers in Michigan could keep up to $5,306 at tax time  through the state and federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

To encourage workers to take advantage of the credits, PHI Michigan has launched a campaign called “Earn, Keep, Save  MORE.”

Continue Reading

Dorie Seavey, PHI director of policy research, testifies in support of the Fair Home Health Care Act, a bill to extend minimum wage and overtime protection to home care workers.