Home Care Workers and Consumers Highlight Independence for Seniors, People with Disabilities With Month-Long Tour of State
Join us to kick-off the Independence Ride
Tuesday, October 19 at 2 PM
Commonwealth Ave, between North and South Streets (The lawn across from the Capitol Fountain.)
Home care workers, consumers, and advocates will meet at the Capitol tomorrow to kick off the Independence Ride, a month-long tour of the state highlighting the need for quality home care in Pennsylvania. With stops planned this week in Williamsport and Erie, the Independence Ride will give home care workers and consumers a chance to be a part of the first step toward a better future for home care in Pennsylvania.
“I am participating in the Independence Ride to raise awareness,” says home caregiver Daniel Curcio. “Pennsylvania needs to know about home caregivers like me and the role we play in our consumers’ independence and quality of life. Our consumers appreciate us and want to help us get the respect and dignity we deserve, too.”
On September 14, 2010, Governor Ed Rendell signed Executive Order 2010-04, giving consumer employers to ability to create their Consumer Workforce Council, and giving consumer-employed attendants the right to form their union, the United Home Care Workers of Pennsylvania. Currently, home care attendants do not have health insurance benefits, despite being caregivers themselves. They also receive no sick days or vacation time. Many of the consumers in the state struggle to keep caregivers on the job, as attendants leave their positions every year for jobs with benefits or higher compensation
