Home Care Consumers

Tyree Winfree, home care consumer:

“My PCAs need benefits, better pay, sick days, and vacation. It’s hard work and they’re not being given enough to show how important it is. That’s why they always leave.”

Imla Eubanks, home care consumer:

“A PCA union is very very important to me because I value my workers and I am ready to fight for the rights they deserve. As caregivers they need healthcare and vacation time because they have families to support.”

Patricia Edwards, home care consumer:

“A caregiver slips on the ice and gets hurt and now can’t help me, but also doesn’t have health insurance and can’t get paid for the hours either, since there’s no sick time. She still has bills to pay, that’s not fair. That’s no way to treat someone that gives me such important care.

“I would love for PCAs to get more money. For more money they’d do an even better job. And they need benefits. I worked in the school system, I know. They need sick time. I have a passion for my workers. They need to earn more money at work– they work so hard. I can only speak to the PCAs I have but they work really hard. I depend on them every day. I know it would be a full-time job for them if they had the right hours. We just need to make it possible for our PCAs to be respected and valued in their paychecks the same way I respect and value the hard work they do for me.”

Patrick Ruane, home care consumer:

“There are lots of changes the state could make to make my care better. One caregiver should be allowed to care for us full-time. The state should be more flexible on that. I should be able to hire one PCA for the 36.25 hours I receive, but it’s not allowed.

Caregivers also need more pay and some insurance. If we paid more we’d get a better quality of worker, and they’d stick around longer.

We need someone to start giving consumers and caregivers a voice in the state.”