Article On Home Health Care In The Us

[OnMyWay]

This is not about Philippines but I am surprised that they did not mention foreign workers might be filling these positions. It appears that this scenario will multiply the demand for caregivers.

http://news.yahoo.com/aging-baby-boomers-face-home-162044224.html

[TheMason]

Home health care workers are not in a preferred visa category. It is very difficult to get a visa for a foreign caregiver. There is a visa category for RNs, but most unskilled health workers aren't eligible for a visa.

I think it's more likely that regulations will require better working conditions for home healthcare workers and Americans will then fill the job than it is that they'll give visas to unskilled workers.

[earthdome]

Home health care workers are not in a preferred visa category. It is very difficult to get a visa for a foreign caregiver. There is a visa category for RNs, but most unskilled health workers aren't eligible for a visa.

I think it's more likely that regulations will require better working conditions for home healthcare workers and Americans will then fill the job than it is that they'll give visas to unskilled workers.

That is exactly what happens. 2 years ago the state where I lived passed a ballot initiative that basically unionized home health caregivers.

[i am bob]

I look at what it costs for my mother to live in an Assisted Care Nursing Home here in Canada, how much my father's insurance covers (a really great plan form General Motors) and how much is out of pocket per month, I am absolutely amazed! Expensive doesn't really say it!

When you read the posts above and then look at the posts JJR had previously about Assisted Living in the Philippines, JJR's idea looks better and better, doesn't it?

:541:

[JJReyes]

There is also a dirty little secret the state agencies are concealing. A high school diploma or the GED equivalency test is not a requirement for certification as a home health care worker. The recruits include high school dropouts who are near illiterate (8th grade reading level) and functional illiterate (4th grade reading level). What happens if they cannot read the instructions accompanying prescription medications?

Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel have visa programs for families needing a home caregiver for the elderly, someone disabled or small children. Registered nurses, certified nurse aides and skilled workers from the Philippine apply for these positions. For example, Israel issues 10,000 visas a year. This is a large number considering that the populatin is only 7.8 million. The most recent estimate is between 40,000 to 50,000 from the Philippines in Israel. The pay is minimum wage, between $1,000 to $1,500 a month, airline ticket, and room and board.

Similar to the cruise industry, caregivers are expected to work every day without a break. In a cruise ship, the contract is 300 days a year and the schedule is 10 to 12 hours a day. The cruise ships are regulated by the US Coast Guard with regards to safety standards. But because they are Liberian, Panamanian or some other registry, American labor laws do not apply.

[OnMyWay]

Good points made here. It seems like if the demand keeps growing, the US might want to open up more visas for the skilled caregivers. Someone had posted about the quality of the caregivers at a facility in the US, and the Filipinas called the local caregivers "don't care givers"! :hystery: I only have a little experience with this, and honestly I did find caregivers at one facility to be very poor. As with anything, you get what you pay for and as long as the pay is very low you will not get many caring local people to fill the jobs.

[i am bob]

Part of the probem is that the local people often want too much pay. I was trying to hire for one of the stores I was managing and people were asking for more than I was paid. This carrries through to any field of work. Another part of the problem is that too many people coming out of school - especially university - expect to start off as management. We have gone from "a fair day's work for a fair wage" to "I want it all"!

[TheMason]

Part of the probem is that the local people often want too much pay. I was trying to hire for one of the stores I was managing and people were asking for more than I was paid. This carrries through to any field of work. Another part of the problem is that too many people coming out of school - especially university - expect to start off as management. We have gone from "a fair day's work for a fair wage" to "I want it all"!

I don't know about in Canada, but in the US caregivers are paid very poorly. My wife works as a caregiver and earns a whopping $9 an hour. Minimum wage in our area is $7.65. In-n-Out Burger pays $9.75 to start. Do you consider $9 an hour a fair wage for a fair day's work taking care of the elderly? I don't. When the burger joint employee makes more than caregivers, that points to a huge problem.

[JJReyes]

I don't know about in Canada, but in the US caregivers are paid very poorly. My wife works as a caregiver and earns a whopping $9 an hour. Minimum wage in our area is $7.65. In-n-Out Burger pays $9.75 to start. Do you consider $9 an hour a fair wage for a fair day's work taking care of the elderly? I don't. When the burger joint employee makes more than caregivers, that points to a huge problem.

Does your wife work through a placement agency? Is the service home care for Medicaid recipients or private custodial care?

[TheMason]

I don't know about in Canada, but in the US caregivers are paid very poorly. My wife works as a caregiver and earns a whopping $9 an hour. Minimum wage in our area is $7.65. In-n-Out Burger pays $9.75 to start. Do you consider $9 an hour a fair wage for a fair day's work taking care of the elderly? I don't. When the burger joint employee makes more than caregivers, that points to a huge problem.

Does your wife work through a placement agency? Is the service home care for Medicaid recipients or private custodial care?

She works at a private assisted living facility that offers independent, assisted living, and memory care for dementia patients. She worked in the assisted living section and usually had anywhere from 16-20 patients assigned to her.

She's out on maternity leave now and likely won't go back to work there. She's probably going to do in-home childcare instead. That way she can stay home with our daughter and still earn some money.