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.
I am a direct care worker . I have been in this line of work for about 15 years . I really do enjoy my job and the people I care for. I think direct care workers have been severly forgotten & neglected and totally brushed under the rug when it comes to our pay scale and benefits . We are far more valuable than what we get paid. How utterly shameful and pathetic on our government, for not making sure we are paid a livable wage with health insurance and benefits granted. As we provide health care to the people we take care of and are often exposed to many kinds of illnesses. Most companies will offer insurance but it is not affordable by any means ,if you only bring home a measely 1,200.00 a month and the premiums are 200.00 to 300.00 per month just for a single person. How wrong is that ? To work in health care yet not be able to afford health care of your own. since I have worked at my company for 12 years we have had things taken away from our benefits such as holiday pay cut in half, bonuses no more, sick and vacation pay cut in half , no more overtime allowed , no more staff appreciation picnics only full timers get life insurance everyone used to get it , and they dont hire full timers anymore. How can one make it on full time at what we get paid let alone part time? We need more advocates as we dont havee unions or anyone else to be our voice. The ones who do care and speak up for us , must be getting ignored as well. What is wrong with our government? I know our pay is funded through them so , why arent we paid better? When the state homes were opened I know for a fact those workers got paid far better than we do . Is the monies being mishandled somewhere along the way down or what? Maybe they should do a little more investigating and alot more regulating of the funds so we get a fair wage. Also I dont understand why we have to take the same classes over and over and over, We arent stupid teach us new things . Thats a waste of money, its like learning the alphabet over and over again. Anyways I dont have much faith anymore in Michigan ever getting a fair wage to their direct care workers , they havent done much yet . I believe they just dont give a darn. Its not them working for peanuts. Heck people working in dept. stores gas stations etc.. move up the pay scale far faster than we do . Maybe its time for us to move on .