Advocating for Caregives on Behalf of the Home Care Industry

On Feb. 2, I attended the Workforce Development hearing at the Cranberry Township Municipal Building on behalf of my office, Right at Home Northwest Pittsburgh. I was personally invited by state representative Stephanie Scialaabba to testify on behalf of the home care industry in Northwestern PA. Pennslvania state representatives from all over the commonwealth took part both in person and virtually. There were also business owners from restaurant and construction industries. This hearing gave local business owners the opportunity to give testimony on the difficulty of hiring and retaining quality employees. The event was 4 hours long and each person was given an opportunity to give testimony. This was followed by a Q&A where each of the representatives could ask questions. 

For my business, this was a unique opportunity for me to advocate for my caregivers. I was able to highlight the need for caring dedicated people to provide in home care and support so that our local seniors can live safely in their homes. I was also able to show that there is a high level of training and administrative support needed to provide this high level of care. My hope is that by highlighting the need for quality caregivers we can attract more people to work in our industry. The reason I chose to participate in this hearing goes beyond the positive exposure for my agency. Giving this testimony was a chance for me to shine a light on the need to change the way people see caregivers. Helping to change the perception that caregiving is a menial entry level job. I was able to show the high level of training, skill and compassion that it takes to be a great caregiver. This is a personal mission for me.