Jeff Nicholson
I am one of the almost 30,000 people in our state who use homecare workers to assist us in our daily living. Some of us are quadriplegics. Some have cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Some have Alzheimer’s or dementia. Some of us were born with our disabilities. Some of us had accidents that left us paralyzed. Some of us simply need more help as we age.
All of us rely on homecare workers to live with dignity and independence in our own homes. And many of us — thousands of us — may lose our caregivers as a result of proposed budget cuts.
Almost 20 years ago, I was injured in a car accident and was left a quadriplegic. I cannot get out of bed by myself. I cannot dress or bathe by myself. I cannot do many of the simple things most people take for granted — like opening a can of tomato sauce, or picking up the phone.
For my entire adult life, I have depended on homecare workers. Because of homecare workers, I can live with dignity in my own home. I am an artist. I draw landscapes by gripping pencils in my teeth.
Without my homecare worker, I would be in a nursing home, or I simply wouldn’t be here.
On Nov. 6, the overwhelming majority of Washington citizens voted in favor of quality homecare. Sixty-three percent of voters statewide — and almost 66 percent of voters here in Snohomish County — voted yes for Initiative 775 to strengthen and improve the homecare program. I collected signatures for this initiative and talked to hundreds of people about it.
What became clear to me is that this is an issue that affects all of us. With the Baby Boomer generation reaching retirement age, the number of people who need long-term care is about to skyrocket. Everyone knows someone who needs a little help to live on their own. Everyone wants to ensure that we have well-qualified, well-trained caregivers to help our elderly or disabled family members.
But despite the overwhelming public support for homecare, homecare is being targeted for massive budget cuts. The state is proposing cutting more than $100 million from the homecare program — which would severely reduce or eliminate services for thousands of seniors and people with disabilities. And there’s no ‘overhead’ or ‘fat’ to cut in the homecare program — almost every penny goes to paying the already pathetically low wages for our caregivers. They earn under $8 per hour with no benefits.
Why are homecare consumers being targeted to bear the brunt of the budget deficit? If I were a cynical man, I’d say that vulnerable elderly and disabled residents don’t write a lot of big campaign checks, and we don’t have a powerful lobby working for us in Olympia.
It’s certainly not a fiscally sensible proposal. Where do you think we’ll end up if our caregivers are taken away? I couldn’t live on my own. I don’t have any family members who could quit their jobs and care for me full time without compensation. Like most of us, I’d end up in a nursing home, at three to four times the cost to taxpayers.
The number of people needing homecare will skyrocket over the next 30 years. Already the system is at a breaking point. I’ve been lucky enough to find a reliable caregiver, but many people I know have been unable to find qualified caregivers who stick around for more than six months. The work is demanding, and the pay is lousy. And these cuts will only force more dedicated caregivers to find other work to make ends meet.
The public has spoken: we want quality and reliable homecare for seniors and people with disabilities. We want better training and higher standards. And we want caregivers to earn a living wage and decent benefits.
The public has spoken. Now the politicians must listen and act to improve the homecare program and ensure dignity and respect for homecare workers and consumers.
Jeff Nicholson lives in Mukilteo.
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