Wayne Becker has lived as a quadriplegic for over 40 years. He was injured playing football with friends. He enjoys hunting and going to Round Rock Express games.
He relies on a caregiver to help him with his activities of daily living. Without a caregiver, he has been stuck in bed for 20 hours. Being stuck in bed can lead to disastrous consequences, including malnutrition, dehydration, and the development of decubitus ulcers, commonly referred to as pressure sores. Decubitus ulcers are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue caused by a blockage of blood flow caused by pressure on the skin.
Marjorie Costello, who works at an agency that matches state-funded caregivers with clients, has seen Wayne Becker’s tale unfold in other people’s lives in recent years. Disability Services of the Southwest is a nonprofit home care agency that serves people with disabilities through several Medicaid programs around the state. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Costello estimates that around half of their caregivers have left.
Low wages are part of the reason why people are leaving. PCAs in Texas only make $10.60 an hour. Many fast food restaurants and retail stores pay more than that.
Additionally, because of how it was implemented, the possibility of overtime was eliminated, and several agencies reduced PTO and healthcare benefits to pay their caregivers the new rate. Costello said they are calling for three significant changes: that caregivers’ work be valued more, that they be given the same opportunity as other workers in terms of salary, and that a cost of living raise every two years be signed into law.
They are asking on behalf of Wayne Becker, who was given less than six months to change his present caregiver. She cannot afford it anymore. Becker doesn’t want to be forced out of his home and placed into a nursing home. He wants to pursue his hobbies, including scuba diving.
Home healthcare workers should be paid a living wage. Without them, many disabled people would be forced to live in a nursing home. Unnecessary nursing home stays will end up costing the government millions of dollars and impact disabled people’s quality of life.
Sources:
Lehmkuhl, Carissa. “How Wages for State-Funded Caregivers Are Impacting Those with Disabilities.” FOX 7 Austin, FOX, 10 Apr. 2024, http://www.fox7austin.com/news/7-on-your-side-state-funded-caregiver-pay-texas.amp.
Leigh, Irene H., and G. Bennett. ‘Pressure Ulcers: Prevalence, Etiology, and Treatment Modalities: A Review’. The American Journal of Surgery, vol. 167, no. 1, Supplement, Jan. 1994, pp. S25–S30, https://doi.org10.1016/0002-9610(94)90007-8.