Worker shortage at care centers is failing clients

By Connie Raether

Do you know about the crisis in care centers in Wisconsin? If your loved one enters a facility for rehab or long term care, do you know what the situation is? Well, I do.

If you need rehab, you should be ambulated every day. Doesn’t happen, because there are no staff. If you need to use the bathroom but shouldn’t walk by yourself, you push the call button. What happens? Nothing. Until it’s too late.

This isn’t the case at just one care center, but at many. Why? Staff shortage. Every center has hiring signs for just about every position. But nobody is applying. Why? COVID, more retirees than folks who are working age, no affordable child care.

What are the solutions? To me, one is obvious. There are 11 million people in the U.S. without documents, people who left their home countries to escape poverty and war. They are here and they want to work. Why not give them work visas and driver’s licenses so they can fill the jobs that are open?

You can become a CNA in 6 weeks, and they are in demand. What is the downside? It used to be said that 'they' would take jobs from 'Americans.' Well, there are no 'Americans' who want these jobs.

Let’s ask our legislators to look at this as a possible solution, to the grave situation we have. Your mom, your dad, your spouse, all depend on it.

*Blog posts represent the views of the author, but do not necessarily reflect the views of the local, state, or national Democratic Party*