Pennsylvania State Representative Mark Longietti is one of 20 legislators across the Keystone State to get a first-hand look at what it's like to be a direct care worker during this "Come Care With Me Day" event, part of the "Healthcare for Health Care Workers" initiative.
"There's a greater need for what they call direct care workers, that take care of our elderly and our disabled," says Rep. Longietti (D) 7th District.
"Making sure their needs are met. Getting them dressed. Making sure they eat. Getting their meds into them. You know, making their lives as comfortable as possible," says Deborah Smith, Residential Program Worker.
This initiative is also to shed some light on the fact that 25 percent of home and direct care workers in Pennsylvania are without health insurance coverage themselves. "The average wage for this workforce is about $10 an hour in the state, and health care is very unaffordable. We see the rates increasing every day," says Tracy Lawless, Pennsylvania Campaign Coordinator, Healthcare for Health Care Workers.
"I've worked at nursing homes, and just for myself to have insurance, it was running me almost three to four-hundred dollars a pay," adds Smith.
These health care workers hope Longietti, and his colleagues in Harrisburg, can make policy changes to provide them with adequate and affordable health insurance coverage from the Commonwealth. Rep. Longietti says, "We need them to be here to work and care for you, and they need to have health care so that they can do this job."
"Because they help us. Otherwise, we wouldn't get any help, you know...," says Katie Toscano, who gets direct care in her home.
