Speaking of caregiver pay

[SCIfor55+yrs.]

After reading this I do not feel too badly about how much I pay my caregivers.


NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
The fastest growing job in America pays poorly. Meet home health care aides.

These nearly 2 million (mostly minorities and women) workers do everything from prepare meals and clean homes, to bathe and change bedpans for elderly and disabled patients.


As Baby Boomers age, this job is expected to explode, growing 70% between 2010 and 2020, according to the Labor Department. That makes it the single fastest growing job in the United States, according to their forecasts.



Call it the silver tsunami. Roughly every eight seconds, a Baby Boomer turns 65. And that has led to surging demand for in-home care.
"This isn't just a surge, a one-time hiring spurt. This is something we will do this year and into the future," said Paul Hogan, chairman of Home Instead Senior Care, which alone plans to hire 45,000 caregivers in North America this year. "It's all driven by the growth in the senior population."


But even though there are plenty of job opportunities, many of these people make the same wage as teenagers flipping burgers or selling clothes at the mall. The average hourly wage is just $9.70 an hour, according to the Labor Department.

Read the full article here:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/11/news...html?hpt=hp_t2

[MSspouse]

... many of these people make the same wage as teenagers flipping burgers or selling clothes at the mall. The average hourly wage is just $9.70 an hour...[/URL]

I always hate those comparisons. I have degree in Physics and have worked most of my life as an engineer. The last job in the world I'd want is working at a fast food restaurant. I don't see basic caregiving as any more difficult or valuable than any other customer service position. They can all be hard jobs and need to be done well to have happy customers and a successful business.

[Cripple Concepts]

I always hate those comparisons. I have degree in Physics and have worked most of my life as an engineer. The last job in the world I'd want is working at a fast food restaurant. I don't see basic caregiving as any more difficult or valuable than any other customer service position. They can all be hard jobs and need to be done well to have happy customers and a successful business.

I disagree. Home health aides and personal caregivers have to work independently, are expected to recognizes issues well above their pay grade (skin sores, respiratory distress, general health issues), and often have access to people's homes, vehicles, credit cards, and medications.

The current debate around the DOL overtime exemption brings up another whole set of issues. I agree with ADAPT on this, until Medicaid can compensate agencies for overtime there is no way the exemption can be lifted with adversely effecting the clients.

[Van Quad]

You get what you pay for. My crew is worth top dollar.

[SCIfor55+yrs.]

There is an interesting state-by-state comparison of household employee pay rates here: http://www.gtm.com/gtm_household/nanny_wage_rates.html

[Cowboys_Place]

So just how much should one paid a caregiver? I'm right at the beginning stages where I'm going to need to start hiring outside help. But I can't afford to pay lets say $15 an hour or $12 for two hours in the morning and two hours at night seven days a week. I'm between that proverbial rock and hard place too much monthly income to qualify for Medical and not enough to pay for care and the basics of living.

Being a C 4/5 quad I'm getting to the point where I've just about had enough!

[chris-k]

So just how much should one paid a caregiver? I'm right at the beginning stages where I'm going to need to start hiring outside help. But I can't afford to pay lets say $15 an hour or $12 for two hours in the morning and two hours at night seven days a week. I'm between that proverbial rock and hard place too much monthly income to qualify for Medical and not enough to pay for care and the basics of living.

Being a C 4/5 quad I'm getting to the point where I've just about had enough!

I'm in the same situation with income and also C 4/5.

I am in a state waver program for PCA's called the "Personal Assistance Service Program" (PASP). They pay $12/hour and I also pay my regular PCA's a bonus about three times a year. Many states have similar, but slightly different programs. There is no maximum income level to qualify, but you may pay a cost share from 0% to 20% depending on your income.

See http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dds/projects/pasp/

Check your state Division of Disability Services, if you have one, for a waver progrom. Usually under the State Department of Human Services.

Unfortunately the program in NJ is cutting back on services due to the economy.

[Van Quad]

There is an interesting state-by-state comparison of household employee pay rates here: http://www.gtm.com/gtm_household/nanny_wage_rates.html

North Dakota & Alabama. Interesting outliers

[Evonne]

Live in central California we pay our caregiver-$10.50/hr ($500 at Christmas)we are very lucky to have her. She has been with us for 3yrs now. She also cooks,cleans,goes shopping,irons,washes all the clothes.

[Tim C.]

Cowboy, what do you do for help in between

So just how much should one paid a caregiver? I'm right at the beginning stages where I'm going to need to start hiring outside help. But I can't afford to pay lets say $15 an hour or $12 for two hours in the morning and two hours at night seven days a week. I'm between that proverbial rock and hard place too much monthly income to qualify for Medical and not enough to pay for care and the basics of living.

Being a C 4/5 quad I'm getting to the point where I've just about had enough!

What do you do for help between morning and evening hours?

[Cowboys_Place]

At the moment I still have my mother helping me however when that time comes that she no longer can I have some friends who live nearby that could provide assistance should I need it.

[forestranger52]

My agency supplied PCA's wages start at about $9.50 but my one attendant w/10 years at the company only receives $10.50. 10 paid days a year to use anyway they want. Sick days come out of the 10. Shifts are 4 hours in morning and 4 hours from 6 til 10pm. By myself the rest.

Paid overtime and double time on holidays.

PA pays the agencies $20.00 per hour to provide attendant care. Income cutoff is about $20,500 P/Y
GOP gov and congress cut 8 million from funding for the disabled and 2 million from attendant care this year on top of 25% cuts last 2 years. Gave corporations 300 million tax break.

Very high turnover.

[s_evans]

After reading this I do not feel too badly about how much I pay my caregivers.


NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
The fastest growing job in America pays poorly. Meet home health care aides.

These nearly 2 million (mostly minorities and women) workers do everything from prepare meals and clean homes, to bathe and change bedpans for elderly and disabled patients.


As Baby Boomers age, this job is expected to explode, growing 70% between 2010 and 2020, according to the Labor Department. That makes it the single fastest growing job in the United States, according to their forecasts.



Call it the silver tsunami. Roughly every eight seconds, a Baby Boomer turns 65. And that has led to surging demand for in-home care.
"This isn't just a surge, a one-time hiring spurt. This is something we will do this year and into the future," said Paul Hogan, chairman of Home Instead Senior Care, which alone plans to hire 45,000 caregivers in North America this year. "It's all driven by the growth in the senior population."


But even though there are plenty of job opportunities, many of these people make the same wage as teenagers flipping burgers or selling clothes at the mall. The average hourly wage is just $9.70 an hour, according to the Labor Department.

Read the full article here:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/11/news...html?hpt=hp_t2

This is a great article, thanks for sharing. It's sad how little some caregivers get paid considering that their work is for such an important purpose... It really makes you think about what we pick for careers and how it impacts our lives.

[Maxwe13]

az is below avg