Caring across generations

By Hilary Stern

Love is not a word you hear much when talking about politics and policy. But in the Caring Across Generations Campaign, love is a four letter word that comes up often and shamelessly.

The Caring Across Generations Campaign is a bold visionary campaign based on love and caring and led by domestic workers who believes that we are all interdependent. A healthy society, like a healthy family, is one that cares for each other and treats those that need care and those that give care with respect and dignity.

I am part of the baby boomer generation, the generation that shook up society with its youthful energy and rebellion in the 60’s and 70’s. Now I am part of the age wave. Every eight seconds someone in this country turns 65. And in 10 years, every eight seconds someone will be turning 75, and ten years later they will be turning 85 and then …. well, you get the picture.

In fact, as we baby boomers age, the number of people needing long-term care is projected to grow from 13 million in 2000 to 27 million by 2050. But now there are only about 3 million long-term care workers. The gap between what we have and what we will soon need is called the Care Gap.

At the same time, direct care and domestic workers filling these care roles are often immigrant workers making poverty wages and working in strenuous conditions with limited support, rights, and training.

We need to take better care of each other. That’s why PSARA has joined with Casa Latina, Washington Community Action Network, and SEIU 775 NW, and others to bring a visionary national campaign, Caring Across Generations, here to Seattle, Washington.
The Caring Across Generations Campaign seeks to provide dignity to our elderly and their caregivers with the “Five Fingers of the Caring Hand”:

1) The creation of new, quality jobs to meet the growing need,
2) Labor standards and improved job quality for existing and new jobs,
3) Training and career ladders for home care workers,
4) A new visa category and path to citizenship for immigrant care workers,
5) Support for individuals and families in need, including a tax credit for people paying out of pocket for care.

Since the campaign began, the limited safety net we have now is being threatened by budget cuts. The rallying cry of the Campaign has become, “Protect what we have and build what we need.” Protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Build up training and support for care workers, as well as for individuals and families that need care.

On October 5, 2011 the Seattle Care Council, our growing local coalition, had its first planning meeting where student groups and community organizations joined PSARA, Casa Latina, SEIU 775 and Washington CAN in envisioning this new campaign. The Seattle Care Council will continue to meet monthly to plan the Seattle Care Congress, a large, town-hall style event at the Greenwood Senior Center, as well as organizing around a local strategy to engage city elected officials around the values of Care.

If you are interested in getting more involved in the Care Council, please contact Robby Stern, who is organizing an internal committee for PSARA. Please also mark your calendars for our Seattle Care Congress on Saturday, February 11 at the Greenwood Senior Center.

In the spirit of the campaign, we extend to the PSARA membership our love and solidarity.

(Hilary Stern is Executive Director of Casa Latina and a PSARA member.)

Caring Across Generations

By Hilary Stern

As my parents age, I find myself constantly worrying about the care and support they receive. I know that someday, my children will be doing the same for me. For many, maintaining a quality life in old age means staying at home with a caretaker. Yet we question, are there enough care workers? Are they trained? Do they feel respected in their jobs?

As a nation, we are on the brink of a crisis in care. As we baby boomers age, the number of people needing long-term care is projected to grow from 13 million in 2000 to 27 million by 2050. There are currently only about 3 million long-term care workers. Families already face the challenge of finding quality care for their loved ones.

Currently, direct care workers and domestic workers filling these roles often work in strenuous and exploitative conditions with limited support or rights. These workers are providing a vital service to our families and communities, yet often lack access to training, career growth, and pathways to citizenship.

All of us - retirees, baby boomers, family members, and workers, have a stake in the issue.

Nationally, we are taking bold action to solve the problem. A visionary campaign, Caring Across Generations, seeks to provide dignity and respect to our elderly, and their caregivers. The values driven campaign brings together care providers, care recipients and their families to address the care gap, uplift our caregivers, and ultimately transform long-term care in the United States.

The campaign is being led by a national coalition of organizations representing women, older adults, people with disabilities, domestic workers, community organizations, students, labor and the faith community.

The national campaign has five core policy goals, the “Five Fingers of the Caring Hand”:
1) The creation of new, quality jobs in home care to meet the rapidly growing need for care,
2) Labor standards and improved job quality for the existing jobs and new jobs,
3) Training and career ladders for home care workers, to bring recognition to the work and improve the quality of care,
4) A new visa category and path to citizenship for immigrant care workers,
5) Support for individuals and families in need of support and access to quality care, including a tax credit for people paying out of pocket for care.

On July 12, I will join others from Seattle and from across the country in Washington DC for the Care Congress, uniting a diverse cross section of the community for a national dialogue about the future of care. We plan to bring that energy and dialogue back to Seattle.

We invite you to join us in shaping the effort and defining what care could look like here in Washington State. Your participation and voice as members of PSARA is essential for making change. I look forward to working together to create the support, care, and dignified jobs that will strengthen our families, our economy, and our community.

(Hilary Stern is Executive Director of Casa Latina and a member of PSARA.)