(no subject)

[novapsyche]

Court rules against home care workers

It's a catch-22. The industry would collapse, because there just isn't the funds for this type of service. The service is so utterly needed that, if it were to disappear, you would see the frayed condition of health services in this country. The service these women provide is vitally important.

Yet the women who work in this industry put in grueling hours. Really, this is capitalism at its worst: keeping its knee on the throat of undereducated women. If we didn't have this pool of workers, what would happen to all of those seniors who need care?

In this economic system, we have good reason not to educate our children well.

In this country, there is a need for uneducated women. And they're there to work their hands to threads, for $8/hr, no overtime.

(cross-posted to feminist)

Comments

[sttatus-quo.livejournal.com]

I was shattered to see that happen. UAP folk are the backbone of the industry. It's brutal work in what are often less-than-optimal conditions in many, many, ways. I know techs that used to take their own money and buy food for some of the patients that they cared for.

The solution is to warehouse the elderly and infirm.. but that's not really a solution either. Do you provide dignity and independence for as long as possible whilst breaking the backs of caregivers or do you set up some sort of criteria that mandates that if you're not able to pay your own way... that you go live in what amounts to the poorhouse for old and sick people.

Add to that the growing shortage of bedside nurses.. and nurses in general.
The need is there for *more* UAPs not less.

I suspect this is the tip of the iceberg. I dread the future of healthcare in general.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

That's such BS. And you're right about it mostly being under-educated women. I worked as a nurse's aide at a senior care facility for a summer, and there was only one male that did the job. He'd been there for years and years and was good with the patients, but mostly it was working class women and young women just out of high school. And the pay sucked big time. We made $5.30 an hour if we had no late punches on our time card but dropped to $5.15 an hour for an entire paycheck if we punched in even one minute late just one time in a given week.

Typically, the day shift had a minimum of 6 patients per aide, sometimes up to 10. Night shift, there might be 3 people taking care of 50 patients. Day shift included feeding two meals, bathing, and physical therapy. We often just didn't have time for physical therapy because, you know, the seven other people on our list needed basics like being taken to the toilet or being fed.