I am calling on Congress to make necessary critical investments in our care economy before it’s too late -- please make care a priority in negotiations over spending bills and emergency funding this fall.
A lack of investment in our care economy has left aging adults and people with disabilities without the ability to remain in their homes and stay active in their communities. And recently expired pandemic-era aid could lead to the loss of 70,000 child care centers, with 3.2 million kids losing care.
And while care is incredibly expensive to people needing care services, jobs in our care economy don’t pay a living wage -- disproportionately impacting the Black, Latina, Asian, and immigrant women who make up 90% of its workforce.
The median hourly wage for home care workers was $14.50 in 2022 according to PHI. That’s actually lower than it was in 2021 ($15.22), accounting for inflation. Their median annual income was only $20,599 in 2021 with 15% of home care workers living below the poverty line and 42% near poverty (below 200% of the poverty line). Because their earnings are so low, more than half received some form of public assistance.
10,000 Americans turn 65 every day and people over the age of 65 have a 70% chance of needing long-term care. There are currently 650,000 people with disabilities who are on waiting lists for Medicaid home- and community-based services, where the average wait time is 45 months.
In the richest country in the world, we can afford to invest in our care economy, provide dignity to older adults and people with disabilities, keep people active in their communities, provide child care for families with modest incomes, and ensure better pay and economic stability for some of our lowest-paid but essential workers. Please do so. Thanks.
