No shortage of workers IF ONLY...

Today's email brought this e-newsletter from a great organization, "Quality Jobs/Quality Care":
"If some people are fashion-conscious, I guess you'd have to call me fashion-unconscious, but this issue's New from Health Care for Health Care Workers box includes evidence of the kind of trend that gets me excited: Over the last month or so, two states have voted to extend health care to thousands of home care workers. Both Montana and New York are covering many -- though not all -- of the workers in their states who are currently uninsured or in danger of becoming uninsured very shortly. And both states are doing it by increasing their reimbursement to providers and requiring that the extra funds be spent on health insurance coverage for employees. iPhone, schmiPhone. Now this is a bandwagon worth hopping onto. "
(Thanks, Elise Nakhnikian, editor)

I SO agree with this! Anything we can do to support caregivers and keep the best in this work is worth everyone's support - everyone in the broadest sense of the word meaning us - taxes - government. Also noted in this e-newsletter is the testimoney of Steven L. Dawson, president of the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, before the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans:

"There is no mystery here: If tomorrow we paid these individuals a livable income, offered them health insurance, trained them better, supervised and supported them--listened to them--we would solve this unnecessary 'workforce crisis' in a matter of months."

Those providing care genuinely do CARE; as a society we need to find systematic ways to support them. I applaud the initiatives that Montana and New York have begun. It's up to all of us to continue to support and promote system-wide changes so that we all will see the benefit when it's our turn - or our loved ones' turn - to need care.