BAYADA employees, clients, and families gather in Harrisburg to advocate for better home care policies.
On May 22, 160 employees donned their best “BAYADA red” and gathered at the Pennsylvania state capitol in Harrisburg. Employees came from 30 divisions, 18 offices, and 9 practices, with the common goal of shining light on the importance of home care.
Along with BAYADA employees and other industry professionals, home care clients and family members joined in the efforts as well. We attracted big hearts: Each individual attended because they felt that it was their duty to advocate on behalf of themselves, their staff and clients, or their loved ones. When advocates share their unique and compelling home care experiences with legislators, it enables legislators to remember our clients’ faces and stories when they make policy decisions that affect care.
Hearts for Home Care advocates met with more than 200 legislators to educate them on the needs of the home care industry. They advocated for changes in hiring standards within the Older Adult Protective Services Act, a need for deemed eligibility to keep more seniors at home, and an increase in pay for direct home care workers.
If you missed out on 2018’s Advocacy Day, there are still opportunities to connect with legislators and to be a voice for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Employees can set up and host home visits, legislative office visits, or simply make phone calls or send emails to demonstrate the importance of home care to legislators. Please reach out to me at [email protected] to learn about the many ways you can connect with legislators in support of our goals.
