I’m a carer in a society that doesn’t value us
<p><em><strong>Jenny Stewart, 59, believes caregiving is one of the most difficult jobs around. So why aren’t carers getting the support they need?</strong></em></p>
<p>I have to ask myself who would be looking at being a home support worker as a career option? I have to work two jobs to be able to survive.</p>
<p>Also known as carers, we have to be resilient and have a lot of common sense. It gets pretty frustrating that it is so undervalued by society, largely because this is considered "women's work".</p>
<p>That's why the issue of equal pay is so important to us. There is a great deal of stress and anxiety with not being able to budget. The insecure hours and the kind of work can be punishing.</p>
<p>I work twelve days on, two days off – I have to work a lot of hours to get enough to get by.</p>
<p>I'm 59 years old and I get paid $15.20 an hour. That's the minimum wage. I started doing this work as I used to work at the local high school as a teacher's aide but I got completely burnt out in the role.</p>
<p>I took up being a home support worker as a fill in, but quickly realised it was what I wanted to do.</p>
<p>One of the most difficult parts of this job, is the lack of guaranteed hours. You have very little idea of whether you will get paid the same amount from one week to the next. I now juggle two jobs, I went back to aide work as I wasn't making enough as a carer. My hours dropped down to 14-per-week so now I juggle both.</p>
<p>I have heard of people who are in a similar position who find it very difficult to get a loan as the income isn't looked on as reliable. That's tough for a lot of people.</p>
<p>The major reward of this kind of work is that you get to make such a difference in people's lives and for their families. It is hard work though.</p>
<p>At the moment, I go into people's homes. I shower them, monitoring all the time for bed sores and any differences with their skin. Care workers are often the first people to notice any differences after a fall and make sure the elderly get to a doctor when they need to. </p>
<p>We are able to step in and prevent worse injuries. I cover the whole range of personal care as well as cleaning the toilet, the floors and enabling these people to stay in their homes.</p>
<p>I clean the catheter site of one of the women I visit. I have to keep that area clean and dress it daily, empty her bag so we deal with faeces and urine. We're intimately involved with people's personal hygiene, their clothing, their medication.</p>
<p>I also have several very high needs clients. There are people who've had strokes with mobility issues. I make meals for people and am responsible for their levels of nutrition. It's a varied job and I am the eyes and ears for all sorts of intangible things you wouldn't even think about.</p>
<p>I have a dementia patient who is still able to stay in her home because of the care I provide. I have to be very calm and patient and there is no one else there to help me if anything goes wrong.</p>
<p>I really feel like we are very vulnerable workers looking after very vulnerable members of our community. We all care about our clients but I see other women like me working into their 70s, caring for the elderly. Many of us just don't have the extra oomph after working to go in to battle for fair and equal wages. </p>
<p>This profession needs to be better paid because it's a growing industry and it's much cheaper for government if people stay in their home for as long as possible. </p>
<p>Tell us in the comments below, are you a carer? Do you agree with Jenny’s perspective?</p>
<p><em>Written by Jenny Stewart. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>
