Care Management ~ Eldercare Advocacy ~ Dementia Care

On average, home care workers earn less than $10 an hour nationwide. Most of these care workers do not receive benefits; health insurance, vacation days, sick days. We are asking, as a nation, for these extraordinary individuals to work with no safety nets, making less taking care of the frail. In fact, if they were to work as veterinary technicians they would be making more money; about $3 more per hour than they do. We pay home-care workers less than we pay people who take care of animals.

Recently, the DC Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Labor Department extending wage and overtime rules to home-care workers. The Home Care industry has been against these rules, as they say they will force prices higher. Of biggest concern are overtime rules, as most home-care workers already make over the Federal minimum. At any rate, more money will have to be paid by client families, or it will have to be shifted around in the Medicaid program to cover the cost of higher wages.

One thing is certain, wages will be going up. Take a look at the Forbes article “Home Care Workers To Be Paid More, But On Whose Dime?”. It’s an impartial article explaining both sides of the argument.

Judie Rappaport, President & Founder
Preferred Lifestyle Services

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