At MISILC, we believe that independent living looks different for every person. And for many people with disabilities, a caregiver–professional or family–is often a critical factor in maintaining independence and achieving goals. That’s why advocating for caregivers as people and as a profession is so important to us. It’s part of our current State Plan for Independent Living and it's on the radar of every disability advocate and nonprofit we know, as well as our government leaders. The quality of life of the disability community depends on a reliable supply of dedicated caregivers, and currently, we’re all coming up short.
Caregiver Appreciation Day was celebrated on March 3rd, but to stem the flow of caregivers out of the profession, we need to do far more than offer them a day of recognition. For professional caregivers, poor compensation, long and stressful hours, and a lack of professional advancement are driving people to seek other positions. The Direct Support Wage Coalition notes that starting wages for direct care workers averages just over $15, which has led to a turnover rate of roughly 42%. In order to meet the estimated 700,000 direct care job openings per year forecasted over the next decade, direct care workers must be treated fairly, compensated well, and offered opportunities for specialization like in many other fields. The increased availability of remote work and increasing wages in other industries are also motivating people to leave direct care. Our work is cut out for us, but as advocates, we’re committed to raising awareness of the “direct care crisis” and reasonable steps to protect and bolster this life-changing career field.
Another aspect of direct care work that we must consider is the working environment, especially as caregiver shortages shift more work to fewer people. Helping to build up resources for people with disabilities and seniors, such as respite care, adaptive technologies, educational and employment support, and other factors, can improve people’s quality of life and reduce stressors on caregivers. Additionally, having access to health and wellness support of their own can ensure that caregivers are mentally and physically prepared to provide the best care possible to their clients. Ultimately, the resources and assistance we provide to caregivers must be as holistic as the care we expect from them.
Hope is on the horizon, though. In late 2021, Governor Whitmer approved a budget increase that made pay raises for direct care workers permanent, and added another pay boost in the state’s latest budget proposal. These are vital and highly visible steps in the right direction for Michigan’s caregiving workforce. The Direct Support Wage Coalition has also outlined a compensation strategy that goes beyond these increases to include even higher wages, health care benefits and paid time off, annual cost-of-living increases, and retention bonuses. Additionally, Michigan’s IMPART Alliance, as part of the larger-scale Essential Jobs/Essential Care initiative, received crucial grant funding to create direct care training infrastructure across our state. Other strategies that governments have used to ensure availability of direct care workers include compensating family caregivers with government funds in exchange for the care they provide, and providing funding for training, recruitment, retention, and ongoing research to measure the pulse of the industry as time progresses.
For us, the message is simple: independent living isn’t possible without the support of our direct care workforce. We’re proud to partner with organizations like the Direct Support Wage Coalition and IMPART Alliance to conduct advocacy at all levels for direct care workers. We’re also grateful for the work of the Centers for Independent Living, which offer support groups, information, referral, and other services to both professional and family caregivers. Together, we can uplift the direct care workforce and the people with disabilities they serve. Connect with us at misilc.org