Article Summary –
Linda Orndoff is an at-home caregiver for her mother with dementia and her autistic grandson, receiving around $13 an hour from Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program without any health insurance or benefits. Pennsylvania currently needs six times the number of home care workers currently in the state due to low wages and lack of benefits causing a high rate of turnover. To address this, Democratic state Rep. Jessica Benham is crafting legislation to increase wages and benefits for home care workers and regulate the home care agency industry, particularly regarding private equity’s involvement.
Linda Orndoff: A Tireless Home Caregiver
Linda Orndoff, by the end of Easter, was worn out. As an at-home caregiver for her elderly mother suffering from dementia and her grandson on the autism spectrum, she works about 70 hours a week. Since 2018, Orndoff has been a paid participant-directed home care attendant, earning roughly $13 per hour from Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program.
Home Care Woes
The wage, though better than nothing, doesn’t provide for a liveable income. Orndoff asserts that it is far from compensating her for the physically and mentally draining days. She wishes for a sustainable home care system that would allow caregivers occasional respite.
The Motivation Behind the Sacrifice
Despite the hardships, Orndoff chooses to stay by her family’s side to ensure they stay at home amidst familiar surroundings. Neither her mother nor grandson want to stay in separate living facilities such as nursing homes.
Increasing Demand for Home Care
As Pennsylvania’s population ages, similar to a nationwide trend, the demand for home care is growing. However, the field faces a shortage of workers and high turnover rates due to low wages and minimal benefits.
Addressing the Home Care Crisis
To tackle this crisis, Democratic state Rep. Jessica Benham is crafting legislation to increase wages and benefits for home care workers, and regulate home care agencies. The legislation would also address the takeover of a large proportion of the industry by private equity firms.
Improving Compensation
The proposed legislation would increase state funding for home care workers, mandate a market-based analysis of rates every three years, require that at least 80% of the funding home care agencies receive is spent on worker compensation, and create a higher state reimbursement rate for home care agencies that invest 90% of their state funding in their workforce.
Way Forward
The legislation, co-sponsored by Republican Rep. Jason Ortitay, aims to serve as a wake-up call to lawmakers to prioritise home care. The underfunding of home care is partly rooted in sexism, as the majority of home health aides, nursing assistants, and personal care aides are women, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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