That ws a lovely read. Thank you Katrina. I agree with this 200%. Lower working class are looked down on by many. Thats who really keeps the world running. Māuriora
Perfect analysis Katrina. My dog is a Canine Friends therapy dog, and we make regular visits to a rest home/dementia care unit that is about as far as you can get from a senior's "lifestyle village" in atmosphere and needs. None of the residents are capable of living independently and most of them need help with just about everything that you and I take for granted. Many have literally lost their voices (that is, they are now non-verbal or no longer speak coherently) and are totally at the mercy of their caregivers who, you will not be surprised to learn, are all women. Which is not a result of biology (women are "natural caregivers"), but because the pay is so crap for what they do that it doesn't attract many men.
I absolutely endorse your hope that someday the arrogant pricks who look down their noses at these "menials", fall apart enough to need them for their own needs. And who changed all their nappies for their first two years on the planet? There is no such thing as a self-cleaning baby.
At home, I am also my husband's sole caregiver (he has advanced Parkinson's) and I am saving the health system a lot of money by taking on this role because without me, he would have to be in care of some kind. I had to retire earlier than planned because of this, but that's how life goes sometimes.
There is only one queen bee, but it is her workers, not her who make the honey we enjoy.
Bloody well said, Katrina. Two of my brother’s carers (he had MND) came to his funeral; he said before he died that they were both ‘splendid, they treated like a man, not a baby’.
Fully endorse your comments. One of the arrogant sods you mentioned remarked that cleaning is underpaid because it adds no value!!! I told him his attitude was both feudal and offensive. It’s interesting isn’t it that the much vaunted market forces don’t come into play when there is a shortage of people to care for the elderly. Instead of the market forcing a wage rise for this essential work, the government encourages more immigration. Care work is undervalued because for generations there was the expectation that women would do it for nothing. The skill involved in being able to wipe an elderly bum, while maintaining the person’s dignity is grossly underrated.
I have seen the state of some toilets and offices in small mechanics' premises, and there's no way that cleaning them would add no value. I'm guessing they were filthy because there were only men working there, and it didn't occur to any of them to clean anything.
Many years ago, I joined my husband on a gold mining site. I was employed as the mine accountant, but while I was waiting to start that role, I took on a part-time cleaner’s job. If the office staff weren’t looking down their nose at me, it was because they didn’t even see me. I was invisible. A few weeks later, most of those people reported to me. I don’t think they even realised the cleaner was now the mine accountant. It was a real eye-opener. A sad one.
I can certainly imagine what an eye-opener that would have been, going from cleaner to accountant! It’s a sad indictment on how some jobs are looked down on, when the reality is that if they stopped getting done we wouldn’t function nearly so well in other areas.
“The skill involved in being able to wipe an elderly bum, while maintaining the person’s dignity is grossly underrated.” Yes , so right you are.
There is a saying , “ nurses have always been over worked and underpaid” so right you are again because care work traditionally has been women’s work in the home and once wasn’t paid work.
My son is an arborist. It’s rare to see a woman in that trade. It’s physically demanding and not just anyone can manage the risks and skills for a job like this but he’s very well paid for it.
Caring for an adult well who is dependent on you for their every basic need is a lot more skilful work than recognised and not anyone can do it. It’s also physically demanding. Working in a rest home is a daily work out. Quite frankly I’m disgusted in governments who value a tree , a car , a house , or a product more than human life.
I cannot count the number of adult bums I've wiped or showers I've given. The reward is in the doing. Sometimes someone says "that was the best shower I've ever had" which you can eek out for life 😀 So personally, if someone looked down on me for being a compassionate person and helping others do things they are unable to do themselves, I really would consider them to be morally deficit and ignore them. But nice to know you have your axe ready 😉
Oh you are so welcome. I’ve the deepest respect for those who care for our elderly who’ve spent their lives caring for us. It puts chills down my spine though - that such ignorance , arrogance and heartlessness can be so openly displayed by the self important with no shame. It’s an indication that our society is in serious trouble.
For the last 6yrs of her life ( as I am disabled and certainly was not physically up to caring for my mother, who had alzheimers)so lovely Filipino nurses looked after her. She was in a good, professionally run home twenty minutes from my home. For the first few years I visited daily taking my dog along. The matron asked could he visit other patients. In the end we went before tea into the dining room to share his joyous Cairn personality with everyone who wanted. I met with staff on a monthly basis about my mother's wellbeing and was always impressed by their integrity.
People who deride the persons who care for the elderly may one day find that they will need that selfless empathy turned towards their needs in extremis.
The Filipino health workers are simply amazing. The problem with many rest homes these days is again , the workers are under paid , over worked and under valued.
Thanks Katrina. How us women have such similar paths. Mine was very similar to yours, tending to the later years of my parents too. I remember an acquaintance once saying, very much like that arrogant guy in those posts, that he "did not do personal care", in reference to his older partner. At the time I thought, "your time will come too, mate".
I’m an RN and nursed Mum until she passed away. I’m also a chronic pain sufferer and was in pain most of the time so the support workers made it possible for me to live with Mum and care for her until she left us. I nursed Mum from my heart and didn’t care about the pain. I adored her. She was my closest friend and my queen. The support workers were wonderful. Such tender respect they always showed for mum , 10 out of 10. I grew so fond of them for their genuine care for Mum. They supported us both and felt like family. I feel sad reading this not only because I miss Mum very much but because our governments don’t care about our elderly or those who care for them. If they did , they’d value the health workers , pay them better and fund the service adequately. I was appalled to see how over worked and under paid they were and yet these women are gold. The whole system would collapse without them. It’s nothing short of criminal.
Our family wanted to give Mum’s main 3 workers a large sum of money once we got our inheritance because we knew many were struggling with the cost of living and to show our appreciation but the agency wouldn’t allow it. That rule needs to change.
Looking after the elderly is no place for sissies, to rephrase a quote. There are so many who think that there is no effort involved in producing the kindness and respect you mention, and somehow it’s just there like air is. I agree that that some may find it easier to produce, but it’s not entirely effortless.
Oh, and I don't consider myself "lower working class" just because I worked in disability after finding I didn't enjoy the job I went to college to learn how to do.
I totally agree, Katrina, 1,000%. My father died suddenly so didn't reach the stage of needing full-time care. However, I did have to care for my mum in her last couple of years. And yes - that did include having to shower her, although our family never had issues with nudity (as you can probably guess from my avatar). But it was a huge investment of time and energy that I'd do all over again in a heartbeat if I could have her back.
Yes, it's a terribly underpaid job, caring for the elderly in rest homes. I'm not totally au fait with how the residential care subsidy works, but it's clear that not enough of the residents' payments end up in pay-packets of their care givers. I have heard several stories of rip-offs by rest homes, however.
The shocking comment that riled you up so justifiably just demonstrates the ignorance of that person regarding the pay-equity debate. The legislation has nothing to do with comparing salubrious jobs with more menial ones. It's about comparing the pay packets of males and females doing the SAME job. And yes- I know that jobs involving care-giving (along with many others) are dominated by females and are lower-paid careers generally, for the reasons you mentioned. But I would expect that males in those positions would be on the same pay rate as their female counterparts. Perhaps it is up to those workers and their unions to force their pay rates up by industrial action. It seems to work for other professions.
I find it really difficult to quantify the relative worth of different professions / careers in any meaningful way. What should be used as a baseline of responsibility? When I worked as a sound engineer I was on a much larger pay than my job as a bus driver at Richies. While the sound engineering position required far more training and technical expertise, at the end of the day it was for entertainment purposes only, whereas driving a bus - seen as menial by many - carried the weight of responsibility for 60 people's lives.
That ws a lovely read. Thank you Katrina. I agree with this 200%. Lower working class are looked down on by many. Thats who really keeps the world running. Māuriora
Absolutely, Di. Try living without them, and we’d soon be begging them to come back.
Perfect analysis Katrina. My dog is a Canine Friends therapy dog, and we make regular visits to a rest home/dementia care unit that is about as far as you can get from a senior's "lifestyle village" in atmosphere and needs. None of the residents are capable of living independently and most of them need help with just about everything that you and I take for granted. Many have literally lost their voices (that is, they are now non-verbal or no longer speak coherently) and are totally at the mercy of their caregivers who, you will not be surprised to learn, are all women. Which is not a result of biology (women are "natural caregivers"), but because the pay is so crap for what they do that it doesn't attract many men.
I absolutely endorse your hope that someday the arrogant pricks who look down their noses at these "menials", fall apart enough to need them for their own needs. And who changed all their nappies for their first two years on the planet? There is no such thing as a self-cleaning baby.
At home, I am also my husband's sole caregiver (he has advanced Parkinson's) and I am saving the health system a lot of money by taking on this role because without me, he would have to be in care of some kind. I had to retire earlier than planned because of this, but that's how life goes sometimes.
There is only one queen bee, but it is her workers, not her who make the honey we enjoy.
Well said, Robin. I love “no such thing as a self-cleaning baby”.
Bloody well said, Katrina. Two of my brother’s carers (he had MND) came to his funeral; he said before he died that they were both ‘splendid, they treated like a man, not a baby’.
That is an awesome memory.
Fully endorse your comments. One of the arrogant sods you mentioned remarked that cleaning is underpaid because it adds no value!!! I told him his attitude was both feudal and offensive. It’s interesting isn’t it that the much vaunted market forces don’t come into play when there is a shortage of people to care for the elderly. Instead of the market forcing a wage rise for this essential work, the government encourages more immigration. Care work is undervalued because for generations there was the expectation that women would do it for nothing. The skill involved in being able to wipe an elderly bum, while maintaining the person’s dignity is grossly underrated.
I have seen the state of some toilets and offices in small mechanics' premises, and there's no way that cleaning them would add no value. I'm guessing they were filthy because there were only men working there, and it didn't occur to any of them to clean anything.
Many years ago, I joined my husband on a gold mining site. I was employed as the mine accountant, but while I was waiting to start that role, I took on a part-time cleaner’s job. If the office staff weren’t looking down their nose at me, it was because they didn’t even see me. I was invisible. A few weeks later, most of those people reported to me. I don’t think they even realised the cleaner was now the mine accountant. It was a real eye-opener. A sad one.
I can certainly imagine what an eye-opener that would have been, going from cleaner to accountant! It’s a sad indictment on how some jobs are looked down on, when the reality is that if they stopped getting done we wouldn’t function nearly so well in other areas.
“The skill involved in being able to wipe an elderly bum, while maintaining the person’s dignity is grossly underrated.” Yes , so right you are.
There is a saying , “ nurses have always been over worked and underpaid” so right you are again because care work traditionally has been women’s work in the home and once wasn’t paid work.
My son is an arborist. It’s rare to see a woman in that trade. It’s physically demanding and not just anyone can manage the risks and skills for a job like this but he’s very well paid for it.
Caring for an adult well who is dependent on you for their every basic need is a lot more skilful work than recognised and not anyone can do it. It’s also physically demanding. Working in a rest home is a daily work out. Quite frankly I’m disgusted in governments who value a tree , a car , a house , or a product more than human life.
I cannot count the number of adult bums I've wiped or showers I've given. The reward is in the doing. Sometimes someone says "that was the best shower I've ever had" which you can eek out for life 😀 So personally, if someone looked down on me for being a compassionate person and helping others do things they are unable to do themselves, I really would consider them to be morally deficit and ignore them. But nice to know you have your axe ready 😉
You are gold. Thank you so much for caring for our elderly. Indeed you are right , heartlessness is a moral deficit and concerningly pervasive.
Thankyou Maria
Oh you are so welcome. I’ve the deepest respect for those who care for our elderly who’ve spent their lives caring for us. It puts chills down my spine though - that such ignorance , arrogance and heartlessness can be so openly displayed by the self important with no shame. It’s an indication that our society is in serious trouble.
I agree.
Lol!
For the last 6yrs of her life ( as I am disabled and certainly was not physically up to caring for my mother, who had alzheimers)so lovely Filipino nurses looked after her. She was in a good, professionally run home twenty minutes from my home. For the first few years I visited daily taking my dog along. The matron asked could he visit other patients. In the end we went before tea into the dining room to share his joyous Cairn personality with everyone who wanted. I met with staff on a monthly basis about my mother's wellbeing and was always impressed by their integrity.
People who deride the persons who care for the elderly may one day find that they will need that selfless empathy turned towards their needs in extremis.
The Filipino health workers are simply amazing. The problem with many rest homes these days is again , the workers are under paid , over worked and under valued.
The "arse-wipers" deserve more pay than those workers of the more salubrious jobs, in my opinion.
Agree with everything you say, including about that arrogant person sitting for hours in their shitty adult nappy!
Thanks Katrina. How us women have such similar paths. Mine was very similar to yours, tending to the later years of my parents too. I remember an acquaintance once saying, very much like that arrogant guy in those posts, that he "did not do personal care", in reference to his older partner. At the time I thought, "your time will come too, mate".
Well said Katrina - so the fire was burning in you for justice and dignity for others at such a young age !!
Someone needs to go to battle for the vulnerable and the underpaid and under valued.
Otherwise there will be a silent slide into an even more callous, self interested society.
Applauding you all the way - warrior Katrina - championing the scorned !
Lol - I guess I did start young.
I’m an RN and nursed Mum until she passed away. I’m also a chronic pain sufferer and was in pain most of the time so the support workers made it possible for me to live with Mum and care for her until she left us. I nursed Mum from my heart and didn’t care about the pain. I adored her. She was my closest friend and my queen. The support workers were wonderful. Such tender respect they always showed for mum , 10 out of 10. I grew so fond of them for their genuine care for Mum. They supported us both and felt like family. I feel sad reading this not only because I miss Mum very much but because our governments don’t care about our elderly or those who care for them. If they did , they’d value the health workers , pay them better and fund the service adequately. I was appalled to see how over worked and under paid they were and yet these women are gold. The whole system would collapse without them. It’s nothing short of criminal.
Our family wanted to give Mum’s main 3 workers a large sum of money once we got our inheritance because we knew many were struggling with the cost of living and to show our appreciation but the agency wouldn’t allow it. That rule needs to change.
Looking after the elderly is no place for sissies, to rephrase a quote. There are so many who think that there is no effort involved in producing the kindness and respect you mention, and somehow it’s just there like air is. I agree that that some may find it easier to produce, but it’s not entirely effortless.
Oh, and I don't consider myself "lower working class" just because I worked in disability after finding I didn't enjoy the job I went to college to learn how to do.
I totally agree, Katrina, 1,000%. My father died suddenly so didn't reach the stage of needing full-time care. However, I did have to care for my mum in her last couple of years. And yes - that did include having to shower her, although our family never had issues with nudity (as you can probably guess from my avatar). But it was a huge investment of time and energy that I'd do all over again in a heartbeat if I could have her back.
Yes, it's a terribly underpaid job, caring for the elderly in rest homes. I'm not totally au fait with how the residential care subsidy works, but it's clear that not enough of the residents' payments end up in pay-packets of their care givers. I have heard several stories of rip-offs by rest homes, however.
The shocking comment that riled you up so justifiably just demonstrates the ignorance of that person regarding the pay-equity debate. The legislation has nothing to do with comparing salubrious jobs with more menial ones. It's about comparing the pay packets of males and females doing the SAME job. And yes- I know that jobs involving care-giving (along with many others) are dominated by females and are lower-paid careers generally, for the reasons you mentioned. But I would expect that males in those positions would be on the same pay rate as their female counterparts. Perhaps it is up to those workers and their unions to force their pay rates up by industrial action. It seems to work for other professions.
No - although pay equity is part of the Equal Pay Act, it wasn't equal pay between women and men that got amended.
I find it really difficult to quantify the relative worth of different professions / careers in any meaningful way. What should be used as a baseline of responsibility? When I worked as a sound engineer I was on a much larger pay than my job as a bus driver at Richies. While the sound engineering position required far more training and technical expertise, at the end of the day it was for entertainment purposes only, whereas driving a bus - seen as menial by many - carried the weight of responsibility for 60 people's lives.
Bloody well said