As a person with a disability, I rely on aide care every day. I also don’t believe I would be as independent as I am without it. That is the case for millions of people with disabilities across the country.
Having aide care gives people with disabilities the opportunity to stay in their homes and not live in nursing homes. Because of aide care, we are able to receive all we need in the comfort of our own homes.
This could all be at risk in New York if we don’t build more political power behind home care.
Governor Kathy Hochul has chosen to target a popular home care program: the consumer-directed personal assistance program. She attempted to cut over $1 billion from this organization earlier this year and then successfully passed a policy to hand the program to an out-of-state corporation.
CDPAP is a state Medicaid program that allows people who need care, known as home care consumers, to hire the caregiver of their choice.
This means the caregiver can be a friend or family member who receives compensation through the program. This program is popular in New York because of the autonomy it gives home care consumers.
So, how can people come together every day to protect home care here in New York and across the country?
In New York, we have Caring Majority Rising, a 501(c)(3) political organization of people with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers, and home care workers.
They are striving to build a sustainable, just, and caring economy. We call for greater investments in home and community-based care as a necessary means to meet our broader goal of dignity, self-determination, access, and justice for all.
Caring Majority Rising is an aide organization formed in 2020. Since then, it has focused on supporting candidates who support those with disabilities and aides. It helps ensure aides get paid a livable wage and that people with disabilities get the care they need. They also work year-round to hold those candidates accountable for their home care commitment.
I got involved with this organization when someone called me to talk about it.
After talking to the person for a while, it was a no-brainer for me to get involved. This issue personally affects me and the people who work with me.
As I mentioned before, I am disabled, so I rely on aide care to help me with my daily needs. Aide care also helps me become as independent as I possibly can be. It’s also the only way for me to receive care and support in my own home.
During this election season, Caring Majority Rising is working to build political allies and a growing number of care voters who are passionate supporters of this work. They fight so that we won’t be forced to experience short-sighted cuts every year and receive investments for in-home care that our communities deserve. This upcoming election is particularly crucial because so much is at risk for us as a country, for us as a whole, and for people with disabilities and those who help us thrive in our communities.
A lot of people don’t seem to understand what aides deserve. So, let me be clear: People in this field need to be paid a living wage because if they aren’t, people with disabilities will lose their support, and we can’t afford that.
More often than not, the person requiring aide care is screwed if their aide is sick. There’s usually no other person available to take care of them, so their independence suffers. That’s the case for many people, unfortunately.
I also have experience with this issue from the side of aide workers. A family friend has been in this field for decades and hasn’t received one raise. This is not okay. It desperately needs to change across the country if we want dedicated individuals to take care of people with disabilities and our aging population.
So, what is the plan for this organization after this vital election? Their goal is to change focus, invest, and ensure that people who work in this field and love it can continue to do so full-time without having to work two or even three jobs to support themselves and their families. Also, to ensure that everyone who wants/needs care gets it. So, keep that in mind when voting during election season.
Featured image via author
