Direct Care News: Building a Brighter Future Together

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For direct care workers and their allies

May 7, 2013

Building a Brighter Future Together

Thank you for all the warm words of congratulations and offers to share your knowledge and networks that I received in my first week at DCA. In the coming weeks and months, I will be working with staff in reaching out to our many allies and partners to help shape the answer to the very important question: What's next for DCA?

There are still many untapped horizons and possibilities, and I look forward to working with you to build a brighter future for direct care workers and the people who rely on them. Read more from Carla.

Direct from Washington, D.C.

Advocates Join Caring Across Generations in DC to Urge Change in Long-Term Care System: Today, more than 100 direct care workers, consumers and other advocates from across the country are gathering in Washington, DC to urge members of Congress to change our nation's long-term care system so that it works for everyone. Caring Across Generations has organized an advocacy day that includes a Hill briefing and visits to congressional offices. Direct Care Alliance is proud to be on the Caring Across Generations Leadership Team, working with the campaign to transform our nation's long-term care system. Please watch the new 90-second video on Caring Across Generations' home page to learn more about Caring Across Generations and how you can get involved.

Briefing Underscores Importance and Momentum of Paid Sick Days Movement: Last week, the National Work and Family Coalition, with honorary co-sponsor Senator Harkin (D-IA), hosted a congressional briefing on the impact of paid sick days laws, the broad popular support for paid sick days policy, and the Healthy Families Act (S. 631). Millions of workers--including direct care workers--would benefit from state and national legislation allowing them to earn paid sick days for use to access preventive care, recover from an illness, care for a family member, or other covered activities.

Employer Urges President to Give Home Care Workers Basic Labor Protections

Phil Garner

"The home care workers who stay in this career are working from the heart," writes Phil Garner in last Saturday's Knoxville News Sentinel. "They don't choose this profession because they want to get rich, but they do want to put food on the table and keep the lights on without having to rely on food stamps or utility assistance. Paying so poorly for such important work is unfair to them, and to the people who rely on them for support and services."

Garner is the executive director of Buffalo River Services, an agency that provides services to people with disabilities and their families in several counties in south central Tennessee. In his editorial, he urges President Obama to follow through on his promise to extend Fair Labor Standards Act protections to home care workers. Read his editorial.

Quick Links

Direct from the Headlines

Last week saw more coverage of the need for minimum wage and overtime for home care workers, on the May 1 Diane Rehm Show, in a The New Old Age blog post by Jane Gross, and on Yahoo! News.

A national poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research surveys the perceptions of and attitudes about long-term care among Americans 40 and older.

The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) presented Rosie Moriarity of Dakota Communities in Eagan, Minnesota with the 2013 National Direct Support Professional Recognition Award in a May 1 ceremony. Forty-five state winners were also honored.

A Swedish home care agency has been accused of exploiting immigrant workers.

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.