PSARA represented at DC Care Congress

By Mike Andrew

PSARA Board members Vivian Lee and Bonny Oborn represented us at the national Care Congress on July 12 in Washington DC.

Some 700 people representing more than 150 organizations attended the meeting to develop plans for the “Caring Across Generations” campaign, to improve the lives of elderly and disabled people and their caregivers.

“There are what we call the ‘five fingers of the caring hand,’” Lee explained. “Job creation, job quality, training and a career ladder, a pathway to citizenship, and support for individuals and families who need care.”

After a Plenary Session featuring what both Lee and Oborn agreed were “excellent speakers,” including White House advisor Valerie Jarrett and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, the two split up.

Lee attended a workshop on organizing and building local organizations.

Oborn met with members of Congress, including Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), to discuss protecting funding for Medicare and Medicaid in the current round of deficit reduction negotiations.

“We need to continue to fund Medicaid,” Oborn said. “That’s a big part of the [Caring Across Generations] campaign, because that’s the way caretakers are getting paid.”

“Unfortunately,” she continued, “they say that’s ‘on the table.’ It’s still unresolved.”

One goal of the Caring Congress is to create local groups to organize around specific local initiatives and to push legislation. Lee and Oborn say that a Seattle core group is already coming together around Casa Latina, Service Employees Local 775NW, and Washington Citizen Action Network.

At PSARA’s August membership meeting, Lee and Oborn reported on the Congress and the members voted to join the local Care Council.

“There are many reasons PSARA would get involved,” Lee pointed out. “Social security, Medicare, Medicaid – those are our core issues. This [campaign] is the only way to get the caretakers paid decently.

Changing demographics make the Caring Across Generations campaign particularly timely, both Lee and Oborn said.

“The Baby Boomers are starting to retire and many of them will need care,” Lee said. “Plus there are many veterans who are returning with injuries and disabilities.”

“It’s a developing labor market,” she pointed out. “You want to create jobs? I noted this down from the Congress – every 8 minutes someone turns 65, 10,000 people turn 65 every week.”