Listening to Caregivers Creating a Strategy for Service

Why Should We Care? Direct care workers make up a large share of the population and because we will need more! Direct care workforce is second-fastest growing occupation in the country and first in New Mexico Economic, educational and systemic barriers among those in this workforce

NM Direct Care Workforce Occupational Projections through 2020: New Mexico Direct Care Workers Occupation CodeOccupation NameBase*ProjChange Percent Change Health Educators % Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other % Healthcare Support Workers, All Other % Home Health Aides % Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants % Occupational Therapy Aides % Occupational Therapy Assistants % Personal Care Aides % Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other % Physical Therapist Aides % Physical Therapist Assistants % TOTALS * Base Year is 2010 data except for Personal Care Aides which is Source: State Occupational Projections, Retrieved May 26, 2014

Why Should We Care? Caregivers are: Primarily women (89% vs 11% male) 18% are heads of households (single parent, grandparent or caretaker) 54% have HS diploma or less vs 46% with some college or advanced degree Source: PHI analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), 2012 Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) Supplement, with statistical programming and data analysis provided by Carlos Figueiredo.

Why Should We Care? Caregivers are: 53% employed full-time vs. 47% employed part-time Earning $9-$12 per hour on average Second or even third job Source: PHI analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), 2012 Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) Supplement, with statistical programming and data analysis provided by Carlos Figueiredo.

New Mexico Direct Care Workforce: Mean Hourly Wages Orderlies and Attendants$12.55 Nursing Assistants$12.51 Home Health Aides$10.59 Personal Care Aides $9.01 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Data.bls.gov/oes/occupation.do, May 26, 2014

Why Should We Care? Poverty status / reliance on public benefits: 49% receive public benefits (Medicaid, food stamps) Average age of caregivers working: In nursing care facilities:37 years old In home health care:45 years old Self-employed or working directly for private households:48 years old Source: PHI analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), 2012 Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) Supplement, with statistical programming and data analysis provided by Carlos Figueiredo.

Why Should We Care? No systematic study on the many ways caregivers work Transportation to/from clients unpaid Caregivers earn 1/2 of what they might if working independently (NMDCC promotes independent workers and formation of home care cooperatives as means of sharing in profits)

Why Should We Care? Caregivers to a family member: 210,000 (NM Aging & LT Services Department) 3 of 5 million (60%) caregivers in 2020 will be working in homes rather than institutions* All want a qualified, well-trained caregiver Who are New Mexico’s FUTURE caregivers? * Appelbaum, Eileen, and Leana, Carrie. Improving Job Quality: Direct Care Workers in the U.S., Center for Economic Policy and Research: Washington, D.C. (Sept 2011).

Formation of NMDCC in 2009 State agency provided seed funding to identify voice Eight sessions held across state to identify leaders and hear their issues Conversations with Iowa important to our philosophy First Leadership Council caregiver-advocates later became Board of Directors Intentional decision that individual is the member; no organizational voice louder than one individual’s

 Promote education and training for professional caregivers and for those working as unpaid family caregivers  Promote better w ages and benefits  Provide opportunities for social and professional networking to share challenges and successes  Advocate on variety of issues for caregivers

 State and national leadership development training  Training and Education - Financial Education, Customized Workplace, Leadership Development  Ongoing job announcements and connections for caregivers to agencies and recipients  Advocacy at national level and improvements at state level

NMDCC Today Only organization in New Mexico representing family and professional INDIVIDUAL caregivers Network consists of 7,500 family and professional caregivers, including agency directors Continue to identify new leaders Space to share and advocate on issues of importance to professional and family caregivers Opportunity to educate on policy issues

Ongoing Caregiver Needs Supports for the “floor” Supports for the “ladder” incl Medicaid enrollment, workers’ rights and responsibilities OSHA, FLSA, ACA Space and time to share and advocate on issues of importance to caregivers

For More Information New Mexico Direct Caregivers Coalition Adrienne R. Smith Ph facebook.com/NewMexicoDirectCaregiversCoalition twitter.com/NMCaregivers NMDCC advocates for direct care workers’ education, training, benefits, wages and professional development so they may better serve people who are elderly and those with disabilities