Why this personal support worker quit her home care job #shorts

Personal support workers like Gwen Stokes say home care is in crisis. She worked for Bayshore, a giant home care provider, in the Ottawa area until she decided to quit.

“I have been with clients who have passed away at home while I was with them. And then I'd have to go to the next client,” Stokes said.

Every personal support worker (PSW) that we spoke to said the wages for working in Ontario’s home care sector were appallingly low and a driving force behind many of them leaving the profession or finding better-paying work in nursing homes or hospitals.

PSWs care for people who are ill, elderly or need help with daily tasks. This can include feeding, changing and getting patients washed up for the day.

On top of low wages, PSWs said companies only pay them for the time spent with clients. None of their travel time is compensated or the time spent each day contacting clients to let them know they’re on their way.

We asked Stokes what Bayshore said when she informed them she was leaving.

“They didn't call me. They didn't ask me why,” she said. “I was absolutely stunned, and very hurt.”

We requested an interview with Bayshore, but never heard back. Then the company’s lawyer said Home Care Ontario would speak for them.

Home Care Ontario issued a statement from CEO Sue VanderBent, who said the industry was “in crisis,” pointing out that health-care professionals are paid more to work in other parts of the system and home care companies need more government help.

“As a result, staff have left home care by the thousands during the pandemic,” she wrote.

Watch our full investigation, Crisis in home care, Friday at 8 p.m. on CBC-TV, CBC Gem or youtube.com/cbcnews.

#HomeCare #PersonalSupportWorker #CBCMarketplace

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