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I spent a 24-hour shift with a home health aide to a man with Alzheimer’s. She’s his social worker, diaper changer, dietitian, day planner, warden and much more. Here’s what I learned about this fast-growing, low-paying, relentlessly demanding job: nytimes.com/2019/09/02/nyr…
Homecare workers are unsung front-line heroes of the healthcare system. Americans want to age at home, not in institutions, and more than 4 million jobs must be filled by 2026. But exploding demand hasn’t translated to higher pay. They average $11.52/hr.
These workers are mostly women of color, and nearly ⅓ are immigrants. And so their job is often dismissed as ‘domestic care.’ But many do more for their clients than doctors and others with advanced degrees.
45% of full-time homecare workers are on public assistance themselves. New Trump rule denying green cards to immigrants who are likely to go on public assistance could worsen worker shortage. 
The aide I shadowed, Marjorie Salmon, spends her days confined to the house with her 77-year-old client, Bob. Sometimes it’s like parenting a 170-pound toddler. Sometimes it’s like being married to one.
Marjorie endures the low pay, emotional demands and isolation because she believes everyone deserves loving care till the end of life:
One expert told me only a paradigm shift (and lots more tax $ from Medicaid) can fix the system.
Read my full story about a day in the life of a health care aide, Marjorie Salmon, and her client Bob nytimes.com/2019/09/02/nyr…
