According to new research, paid home care workers perform beyond expectations and provide emotional support to patients. It is sad to know that most home care workers receive low wages compared to others working in hospitals.
Study Shows Paid Home Care Workers Performed Beyond Expectations
The duties of home care workers got expanded in most cases, and the workers have contributed a lot to the overall physical and mental well-being of many patients. The last two years were extremely difficult even for normal people due to the pandemic, and the plight of those patients in need of home care services is beyond explanation.
The home care workforce currently stands at around 2.3 million in the US, and it is expected to go up to 4 million in the next decade. As part of the research, the team surveyed close to 1000 residents in New York through telephone to know about the home care services.
Nearly one-third of the participants responded that they had taken the services of a home care worker or knew someone in their group who had availed of such services recently.
Interestingly, it was found that nearly 75% of the home care workers provided more than personal care, and the services extended to providing medical care along with emotional support to clients.
This is an interesting study as the outcome of this study can impact the reimbursement paid for home care workers in the future. The clients were more than satisfied with the quality of services in most cases.
The usual job of home care workers is to assist the clients with daily activities. Senior citizens and those with disabilities often hire such workers so that they can lead a near-normal life. However, the services of home care workers extend beyond the usual activities in most cases, and they have even provided valuable service with regards to medical care and emotional support to the clients.
The contributions of home care workers gained the limelight during the pandemic situation. Due to lockdown restrictions, most people were not able to move out of their homes.
Even during this situation, the home care workers acted as front-line workers and contributed to the well-being of millions of patients across the country. It is said that such workers are not given due recognition for their contributions to society. Nearly 25% of the home care workers live below the poverty line across the country.
Serious efforts are needed to improve the public policies and highlight the role of home care workers. The overall working condition of these workers needs to be improved, and standard guidelines should be provided to protect their rights.
Similarly, the wages and benefits provided to these home care workers need to be revised, and due recognition should be given to these workers for their invaluable contribution.
In the same way, these workers can be trained appropriately so that they can assist the health system in the long run in handling medical emergencies. It is interesting to note that many home care workers worked as front-line workers during the pandemic. Their services ensured that fewer people visited the hospitals during the pandemic.
This will also be beneficial for the elderly population as they get access to high-quality service from home care workers in the long run. Yet another interesting aspect in this area of work is that most workers are women.
By providing suitable recognition and appropriate benefits for these workers, the overall economic situation of millions of families can be improved to some extent. Policymakers should consider the contributions of home care workers and provide much-needed benefits.
