Vicki Hoak, the executive director of the Home Care Association of America, said the organization was “disappointed” by the reduction in proposed funding, “but we also recognize that this is a very big step and it’s about consensus and reaching compromise.”
“She doesn’t have enough money to make it to the end of her life. But she has too much money to qualify for Medicaid. So she’s in this weird middle spot that there’s no support for,” she said.“When that money runs out, hopefully Medicaid takes over,” but it wouldn't cover all of the services her mother receives, LaFleur said.
“It’s just so important to me that we’re raising awareness and we’re starting to have these conversations and starting to value and talk about and support the elderly and the people providing their care,” she said. “It’s a life-changing investment in the primarily Black, brown, Asian and immigrant women that provide home care in this country because it will give the resources to take poverty-wage jobs and make them living-wage jobs,” said Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, which represents home care workers.
“Unfortunately we see many stories of people in areas of the country that have qualified for home- and community based services, but there’s no one to provide those services,” he said. “He requires 24-hour supervision. They have people who come in to help him, dinner and transportation, and somebody stays overnight every night. He’s never left alone,” she said.