Raises Approved For Santa Barbara County In-Home Caregivers
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved a three-year contract at last week’s meeting that will provide raises for In-Home Supportive Service (I.H.S.S.) care providers.
Caregivers represented by United Domestic Workers have been campaigning for these raises for about 15 years in California.
The union has succeeded in protecting or raising caregiver wages in several counties including San Diego, Riverside, and San Luis Obispo.
I.H.S.S. caregivers provide invaluable support to seniors and people of all ages with disabilities. Local caregivers publicly expressed their gratitude for the county supervisors’ approval at last week’s meeting.
Studies project that in the next five years, nearly 25% of Californians – including many in Santa Barbara county – will surpass age 60, causing a surge in demand for senior support.
Those numbers are expected to grow past 30% by 2060.
An estimated 30% of California’s population serves as unpaid family caregivers for aging adults or relatives with disabilities, adding stress that can lead to declining health themselves.
For this month, caregivers are being paid $19 an hour, in March they’ll receive $20 per hour, and starting in July, their wages will be $3.50 over minimum wage or $20.07, whichever figure is higher.
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