“There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who need caregiving.” – Rosalynn Carter
Each morning, Christal Boutte takes a moment to relax before her workday fills up. She might engage in yoga at home, if she has time, or pull out an alternative newspaper to read during her bus commute. One thing is certain–it is going to be another long day.
The Mount Holyoke College graduate is a home caregiver in Seattle, one of about 3.5 million such professionals in the country. She assists people in doing something that many take for granted. Boutte, 30, helps four people lead dignified lives, regardless of circumstances, in their homes.
Boutte is working in a fast-growing segment of the US economy. The country’s population is aging rapidly, and according to surveys, a high majority of people want to stay in their homes as they age. By 2020, one in six people in America will be over the age of 65, according to some projections.
Home caregivers help the disabled, the sick and the elderly with daily tasks, including dressing, bathing, managing medication, cleaning and cooking. They also provide emotional support and companionship.
In the US, nine out of 10 home care aides are women. A third are Black. About 16 percent of the workforce are Latino. Of all home caregivers, 25 percent were born outside the US
The work has its rewards. Boutte enjoys a rapport with the people she helps. Smiles brighten long days. The work can be challenging, too, both physically and emotionally. There is a high rate of workplace injuries. Health insurance is not a given. Only 25 percent of all home caregivers have health care.
On average, wages are below $11 an hour. A quarter of home health workers live in poverty.
Boutte works full-time for Full Life Care, a nonprofit agency, to help clients stay in their homes. She earns $11.50 an hour. She also has health care. To save money, she shares a one-bedroom basement apartment with an uncle, sleeping on the floor in a walk-in closet.
Some workdays start before dawn. Others end at midnight. The people she helps have a variety of diagnoses, including cognitive disabilities, paralysis and multiple sclerosis.
“I can help people who are isolated, who really need help with the tasks of daily living, to stay in their homes and keep their independence and to feel respected and valued,” Boutte says.
Rhonda, one of her clients, says that Boutte is doing more than that—more, in fact, than most people ever achieve. Boutte is saving lives, Rhonda says, one long day after another.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $136,000 in one-time donations and to add 1440 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
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