WHEREAS, There is a growing demand for in home caregiver workers. In the upcoming years the elderly population is expected to grow by 40 percent. Seniors and people with disabilities need quality healthcare to remain in their homes and community; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 15,000 individuals in the Philadelphia area receive home care services through publicly funded programs. There are others who receive these services privately; and
WHEREAS, Most personal caregivers earn only poverty wages, have no affordable health insurance and no paid time off; and
WHEREAS, Most of the home care agencies in the Philadelphia area offer starting wages of $8.00 an hour or less. Many of these workers have earnings that allow them to qualify for public benefits, such as food stamps and Medicaid; and
WHEREAS, The low wages, minimal training, and lack of benefits for home caregiver workers causes inconsistent and untrained care for clients and poor worker retention. Quality home care requires trained and consistent home caregivers; and
WHEREAS, Some for profit home care agencies receive over 50% of the amount per hour than the amount per hour that the home caregiver receives per hour, which allows large profits for the owners and investors of such companies; and
WHEREAS, Personal home care is a fast growing employment field that provides numerous jobs for Philadelphia residents; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry projects and increase of over 40,000 job openings for home caregivers in the next 10 years; and
WHEREAS, The Quality Jobs for Quality Homecare campaign is working for good home caregiver jobs in our community so that our elderly and disabled residents of Philadelphia can live at home with dignity; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services hold hearings regarding the Quality Jobs for Quality Homecare campaign and advise and recommendations on how to improve the conditions of the home caregiver.
End