Assemblyman Jones to assist with therapeutic activities, personal hygiene, and meal preparation to see firsthand the benefits of the In-Home Supportive Services Program for seniors and the disabled
CLAYTON, CA - Insurance Commissioner Candidate Dave Jones will spend a day at work with Mary Harms, a Contra Costa County home care provider, to better understand how the home care program serves as a lifeline for seniors and the disabled across California on Saturday, March 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. A press availability will follow.
Office seekers in California who want SEIU members' endorsements will be going to work with SEIU members in the coming weeks and doing their work with them. The "Walk A Day In My Shoes" program is part of an effort to ensure that every candidate endorsed by SEIU has direct experience and understanding of a union member's work. SEIU members are asking candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, State Superintendent for Public Instruction, and State Attorney General to walk a day in their shoes by joining them at home and their work places. The program is part of a national effort to enable SEIU members to learn more about candidates running for office. President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and others have participated in the program in the past.
WHAT:
Insurance Commissioner Candidate Dave Jones performs duties of home care provider
WHERE:
21 Gibson Lane, rear house, Clayton 94517
WHEN:
Saturday, March 6, 10:00 a.m. - to 11:45 a.m.
Assemblyman Jones will work with Mary Harms to help care for Sherry Gazano. Mary has been a home care worker since the 1970's and has cared for Sherry, who suffers from severe mental retardation and cerebral palsy, since July 2003. SEIU encourages any candidate for elected office seeking endorsement to get to know our members and their work by "Walk[ing] a Day" in their shoes.
Despite its cost-savings for California taxpayers, the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program has been under attack by the Governor. In the current-year budget he attempted to eliminate the program and in his budget proposal released earlier this year, again included the elimination of home care.
Home care allows seniors and those with disabilities to live independently by helping them bathe, dress, cook and get to and from medical appointments, among other things. Without these services, many of California's 400,000 seniors and disabled who rely on the program, would be forced to move to institutional care that costs taxpayers millions of dollars more than the IHSS program.
Contact:: Adriana Surfas, 510-869-2246
SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW) is the largest hospital and healthcare union in the western United States with more than 150,000 members. We unite every type of healthcare worker with a mission to achieve high-quality healthcare for all. SEIU-UHW is part of the 2.1 million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the nation's fastest-growing union. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.
Source: SEIU-UHW