In an effort to address the severe shortage of home health aides in New York, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has proposed the Long Term Care Workforce Support Act. The bill aims to attract more workers to the field by increasing salaries and providing $100 billion in federal grants. Additionally, it seeks to improve labor protections for home health workers.
One individual who has been impacted by the shortage is Terry Ann Hamilton, a certified nursing assistant who works three jobs caring for elderly individuals. Due to not having a car, she relies on cabs to travel between her jobs and provide care to those in need. Hamilton mentioned that she considers the people she cares for as part of her family, highlighting the strong relationships that can develop between caregivers and clients.
The demand for certified home health aides has reached critical levels in New York, with over 1.2 million workers needed across the state. This shortage is particularly felt at home health aide training institutes like the one on Long Island, where there is a struggle to keep up with demand. Maria Santiago, the school’s president, mentioned that agencies are constantly reaching out for trained aides to provide care for their clients, reflecting the urgent need for more workers in the industry.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand believes that low wages offered for long-term care workers are primarily responsible for the shortage of workers in this field. She emphasizes the importance of compensating and supporting these essential workers who provide vital care to vulnerable populations