Appointments complete for Commission on Long-Term Care: The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which was signed into law this past January, established a Commission on Long-Term Care. Appointments for the 15-member Commission are now complete, following nominations by President Obama, the majority and minority leaders of the U.S. Senate and the Speaker and the minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Commission is charged with creating a plan to establish, implement and finance a "comprehensive, coordinated, and high-quality system" of long-term services and supports (LTSS). It will analyze how LTSS operates in Medicare, Medicaid and long-term care insurance, explore other health programs that interact with LTSS and examine LTSS workforce issues. Learn about the Commission's new members and the American Taxpayer Relief Act's impact on direct care workers.

Sign a letter to the President in support of basic labor protections for home care workers: The Nation magazine has launched an open letter to President Obama, urging him to extend minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers. Sign the open letter today and share it with your coworkers, friends and family! For more information about how the President can use his executive power to finalize the proposed rule and extend basic labor protections to home care workers, read this article from the January issue of The Nation.

Brenda Nachtway

During my 28 years as a direct care worker, I made a lot of time for advocacy work because it was important to me and I could fit it into my schedule. I also got to know countless home care workers, nursing assistants, personal care attendants, and other direct workers who could not fit time for advocacy into their overcrowded lives, or who simply weren't interested in public speaking or talking to politicians. But, like me, they take pride in their work and want to see things get better for themselves and the people they care for.

We talk so much in this newsletter about going to rallies or visiting legislators to advocate for better working conditions, wages, and benefits for direct care workers that you may get the impression that's what being a DCA member is all about. But not all our members visit Capitol Hill or talk to reporters, and that's just fine. Just by joining DCA, you can help elevate our profession and amplify our voice. Read more from Brenda Nachtway.

• Join DCA 
• Donate to DCA 
• Learn about the home care rule 
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• Past issues of this newsletter 
• Visit our Voices blog 
• Our search for a new executive director 

Workers are now guaranteed paid sick days in Portland, Oregon, and close to winning them in Philadelphia.

A new report looks at how proposed Social Security "fixes" would affect two health care workers at opposite ends of the pay scale: a CEO and a direct care worker.

IHSS home care workers in California may finally get a little more than $8 an hour.

Bruce Vladeck on why we must act now on fair wages for home care aides.

The Direct Care Alliance is the national advocacy voice of direct care workers in long-term care. We empower workers to speak out for better wages, benefits, respect, and working conditions, so more people can commit to direct care as a career. We also convene powerful allies nationwide to build consensus for change. 

If you have comments on this issue of The Direct Care News or ideas for future issues, please contact Elise Nakhnikian at 646-823-7434, enakhnikian@directcarealliance.org.