But we have enough to send hundreds of billions overseas!!

We waste money bailing out billion-dollar corporations but can't pay health care workers a decent wage. Worse, our country has ALWAYS been obsessed with youth and disrespectful and dismissive of the elderly.

We don't respect or care for the senior citizens.

Being a caretaker is very hard. You sacrifice your own needs and feelings in order to help a loved one. You rarely have time for yourself.

This woman is an absolute angel Mile is not even a biological family member and she has stepped in to care for him ! God is truly going to bless her. Caretakers should get paid for taking care of loved ones! There is little to resources and help for the elderly and care takers

America should be ashame! These folks built our country😢😢

Abbott in Texas only pays care givers 11$ an hour...you cant feed a dog on this. Shameful!!

I very much appreciate Lisa Ling's series on this topic and her compassion for the families and in-home workers.

As a caregiver of a disabled daughter I know what she's going through. God bless this woman.

They don't pay care workers, aides, assistants, don't get paid enough money! They work so hard!

All I can say is, LORD thank You for people like her. This government seems to know no shame. Monies spent in the wrong areas. ☝🏼👤🙏🏼

This series has been so, so enlightening. I hope law makers take notice.

That lady is an angel and God sent!

Thank you Lisa Ling for shining a light on this nation wide problem. We need to come up with creative solutions on how to support caregivers, funding is definitely needed first and foremost.

Actually, in Texas, A LOT of places only pay $8-$9 an hour. As big as Texas is, to be at the bottom of the list in caregiver pay is absolutely SICKENING smh!!!!

I worked doing that for a lady that just passed $15 an hour, the family never visited , but they always had something to say when they called. The family members should pay the care giver , not only the government

I did caretaker work. It’s especially hard when the patient has dementia. It’s heartbreaking. And the pay is horrible. In MS the normal pay is about 10-11.00. I was paid 13. It’s not enough

It's so disheartening that the government doesn't value these workers. We will all need this help

We paid &6500.00 a month for my mothers living in a a nursing facility. These people do heroes work. Pay them what they deserve . NOW. Don't rob them of their humanity.

There are a lot of rich people who could pay into this program. How many homes and boats does one need?

I worked at a large senior living organization the average cost per month was around $5k per resident. The caregivers were paid sometimes as low as $15/$16 per hour requiring a state license as a CNA. Most of the caregivers worked 2-3 job to get by. For how hard they work and how much we need them, this pay is sickening.

She is right. She does her job with love.

Direct Care Worker here. This report is 💯 correct. Many of us depend on government programs to survive. One day a loved one of yours might have to be cared by one if us. What are you all going to do about this?

Thank you Sabrina for the care you provide to Mike, the promise that you kept, the sacrifices you make, and for the strong, loyal, caring and loving woman you just are ❤

I find it perplexing why several wealthy nations, including Scandinavian countries, prioritize direct care workers and recognize them as integral components of their societal soft infrastructure, while the United States does not.

Yes they are under paid and so are CNA. But at the same time we have to be careful because some providers take advantage of elderly.

I remember being a caregiver for my father before he passed away 4 years ago. It was tough. I salute this lady and all who give care to our seniors and disabled. They are the unsung heroes.

Not just elderly care givers ALL disabled carers have this issue. I myself do both.

Our country should be ashamed.

My family is dealing with this issue. My husband's uncle has a live in care provider. She is there 24 hours a day and gets free room & board. Even then she needs the weekend off. As a family we have all come together to be there for our uncle by coming in on the weekends & staying with him. He enjoys the change of pace & his care provider gets a break. Families need to pitch in too and not depend solely on care providers. They need breaks, too!

Caregivers should be paid more, the families of some of the ppl being cared for they don’t even care about their own family, put them in nursing homes and some never come back to visit them!!

My heart just breaks for caregivers I’m in tears . I wish I could advocate for them . This is disgusting that the caregivers are not paid well .. we need caregivers

I do the same work she does and make less than that! Its shameful!

People don’t get it. Health is wealth. Do not understand what sick is.

I am a 59 year old caregiver, it is very hard work, I really love working with the senior population but I can say it is HARD. It is not a respected job but we are so needed. I live in Washington state and there is a shortage of caregivers in Seattle . I just decided my 40 hour week which is actually 50 hours a week (commute time) is just too much, caregiver burnout is real. I’m giving up 8 hours a week so that my quality of life improves. I’m exhausted.

We started taking care of my husbands parents 20 years ago - they passed away 15 years ago. Then we started taking care of my parents - they passed away 5 years ago. We were caring for a parent or two for 15 years. While we had kids and grandkids.

I’m in North Carolina and I’m a healthcare worker and the elderly are kicking out 8000 every two weeks sometimes one week depending on the services they are also tapping into their nest egg, They’re charging $23 an hour to the client and paying $10-$14 an hour for the caregiver here in North Carolina overall, it’s a hot mess! and with some facilities, you don’t even get off with pay if the person is sick or in the hospital, you don’t get paid!

Caregivers are priceless. Sabrina is a highly valuable source of care, 24 hour care. Mike surely is blessed. I hope Congress addresses this issue of the aging of our high population of the "Baby Boomer" generation.

My Grandmother in Law lived with me and my husband for 14 years. She turns 90 this year and she was diagnosed with Parkinson's as well as congestive heart failure years ago. Needless to say she slowly deteriorated and it became harder and harder. As her mind deteriorated further she would scream for help all hours of the day and night but then wouldnt remember calling for help or even why she would have done that. On top of caring for her Im caring for my small child who was diagnosed with a chronic illness at a very young age. We are talking about a grandparent. Not a parent. I think there is a major generational failure where they don't want to take responsibility for their loved ones and that forces the younger generations to pick up that slack even if it means their ability to grow and provide for their family suffers.

she's a true angel

Insane how working at certain fast food places and retail stores pay more than this but it’s even more that $18 is supposed to be a blessing because most places pay bar far waaaaaay less smh

God bless this Lady.

She wouldn’t make more money at McDonald’s because she wouldn’t get more then 20 hours a week. McDonalds doesn’t give 40 hour work weeks. $20*20 is $400 a week. $18.50*40 is $740 plus overtime and benefits (hopefully).

I had 2 Angels that helped me with my parents. Here in Texas pay like 9 something and less than 20 hours a week. So many have 2 clients a week.

The USA IRS needs to apply heavier taxes to the rich people and rich corporations, to provide more funds. It’s that simple.

This isn’t a new issue or problem The real issue and problem is that society and government don’t care My family took care of their elderly and we made room and there was room for this as it is the process of life But now a days, no one has time for anything and ppl are aging with issues like dementia, etc It’s a sad reality and fact I hope ppl think and adjust accordingly that we all age, need help, and will die Not always possible I know but we need to pay attention

I'm a hospice worker and a caregiver. Our bodies break down with major injuries and were living in poverty. This doesn't stop my hard work and dedication to others!! I have desired to go to nursing school for years. However, the price tag is insurmountable, and I don't see a change coming. we are definitely the forgotten so sad

As the only "first world"(?) economy without 'universal healthcare' or 'paid maternal leave', one can't expect the U.S. to care a jot for the dying cheap labor force that helped build this nation! C'mon this is America!

Remember the same Union that got $20 an hour for Fast Food workers kept CareGivers at $16

Oftentimes, the agencies in charge of these home heath aid services keep a huge chunk of the money, paying the actual human doing the work minimal. Families should care for their own whenever possible. Mike is fortunate to have his own home. It would be terrible if he ended up in a facility. That would be calamitous. All these young tv personalities doing all this talking will one day grow old and be in the same boat. They have the power to continue exposing these issues. Lets hope they and their respective networks do so. Time will tell who will step in with the power and desire to solve this critical problem once and for all.

I'm my mom's caregiver and I don't get paid I'm all by myself an I'm trying to empty her 2 story home An I give KUDOS to all caregivers If you haven't done it it's very very very stressful I take her to all her doctors appointments

I was a caregiver full time but i had to find another career path because caregivers simply don't get paid enough. I absolutely loved being a caregiver and still do it part time. I always felt like we deserved 50 bucks a hour! God bless this lady ♥️

Also it’s more than a money issue, it takes a toll on the caregivers health and livelihood

It is shameful! They should be paid more.

Caregiving is a philanthropic work most people work there because they have a big heart. It doesn't pay well

We have so many needs in this country and we couldn’t afford to fund wars. Number 1 should be the healthcare. In nursing home, nurse assistants has 1:18 ratio. The staff and patients suffered. Not to mention being short staffed, that ratio goes up. Sad reality, after working 30+ years, our seniors are forgotten, not valued, and just waiting for their death. Very depressing if you put yourself in their shoes.

So true I take care of my mom 7 days week.

Thank you so much for covering this topic. I have been a direct care worker for over 20 years. I love the work and I love my clients. I have tried other jobs and I come back to this because it is my calling. As this woman said, if everyone left this field, what would these elderly and disabled people do? Not just anyone can do this work, either; people with the wrong temperament won't make it in this field and frankly, neither would the clients. You can tell who and what society values by how much is paid for service. Consider which fields get the most funding and which ones constantly face budget cuts. Social Services usually get the cuts, and that means human beings will suffer. And yes, to the point made at the end, the ugly irony is that many caregivers can not afford care for themselves; they are not offered benefits, health insurance and they don't make nearly enough to save for retirement. I'm with a new company now. It's a small company and they treat me well, but there are no benefits and there's no paid time off. If I don't work, I don't get paid. Prior to this, I worked at a company for nearly 11 years. I started out at $9.00 an hour. When I left, nearly 11 years later, I was making $13.80. I had won multiple awards, been employee of the month many times, and got good performance reviews, but budget cuts prevent much advancement or raises. I got so burned out I was physically sick and eventually, I had to resign for health reasons. Caregivers are truly some of the unsung heroes of our society. They/we are kind of an invisible support structure without which a lot of other things could not get done. A lot of other people would not be able to do their jobs if we did not do ours. I wish we had reliable, guaranteed pay and benefits. It's not about getting rich or anything. I wish this whole field were funded better so that workers and clients can simply live with dignity.

Being an aide is super hard work and pay here in New Jersey is horrible. Cannot pay rent with salary. The State and agencies make the lions share of money. There will not be enough caregivers in the future. There aren't enough good caregivers now. This is a crisis.

We should all be terrified.

I have cared for 3 family members, two being my parents for 12 years. I had to quit my job and there is NOTHING for family members who have to care for aging parents…24/7. It’s a shame!

May God bless this caring and loving woman . It's so sad , that this is going on all over the world! And there are so many "caregivers " that steal from the client's, don't properly take care of them , abuse them , etc . 😢✝️🛐

As a cna working with an agency they paid $14 per hour and $15 for weekends,terrible and the job is not easy,yes government should do better,we don't have benefits at all none.

Caregivers should be paid no less than $25hr. Pay them $32hr and make the rules strict. No lazy or abusive caregivers.

Thank You for this Broadcast!!! I’m a 66yr widow on Social Security, barely making by check to check, no defendants. I’m extremely concerned about my future. They say in 10yrs there may Not be any SS. 😐

$11 in Texas??!! Seriously??? Insane

Bless this woman!!!

This is such a sad situation for both the elderly individual and the caretaker. The responsibilities are endless and aside from empathy, a caregiver needs to have the patience of a saint. The work is often physically grueling🙏🙏🙏

An added note, however, childless couples should prepare for the possibility of this scenario of need by recruiting family members. Later in life Mike's wife asked a church member. Non family member caregivers expect compensation as do family so save up, and invest for this planned need of caregivers for future.

Here in the U.S. we call them heroes so we don't have to pay them. It's empty appreciation like "Thank you for your service or thoughts and prayers". Much easier to call them heros than to compensate them fairly

Truth we aren't valued. Although we are Blessed.

And, at the same time this is happening, lots of black women with decent-paying jobs are being targeted with discrimination and harassment - to force them to leave or to fire them. So, this means they can't make or retire with a decent amount of money to afford to help take care of their loved ones.

😭😭😭😭This really hurt my heart. I have worked this job and I have purchased stuff for clients myself. I respect anyone that can do this job because it’s really underpaid 😩

I can relate to this need for financial assistance after the client or family member passes, I had to return to work asap and found a easy job to make income for myself within one week after my family member passed. I was still in mourning. I had God Jehovah to get me through a rough spot. Now, in our state there are benefits for assistance for family members caregivers who qualify.

Thank you, for the Love and dedication you give Michael. ❤

Unfortunately this is true all over the states, I pay more to get my pups groomed than CNA earn. Why is this? SHAMEFUL

Thank you so much for making sharing this powerful story! It resonated for me and for sure so many other care providing families! I am an IHSS Care Provider for our youngest son who has severe Autism and is nonverbal. Since we homeschool him and I had to quit my career to become a full time caregiver and because there is no one that can provide the proper care and attention to our son I chose to become his care provider. I am very grateful for the program but it truly is not fair that we make less than employees at McDonald’s. It is barely minimum wage. It is NOT a job where one gets healthcare, vacation pay, worker’s comp, or unemployment insurance. At best, a parent’s IHSS compensation will offset a portion of the costs of keeping a developmentally disabled family member at home, and would not go far in meeting the family’s daily needs especially with the spike of rent, food & gas prices! I hope this story is seen by congress and they finally do something about it! I highly doubt they would want any one of their family members to be in this boat!

Everyone quit and let folks take care of their family member Bet you they will agree to the raise then

Other countries value and respect their elderly. This country is so quick to toss them in facilities.

Sad part everyone will end up old one day and this is sad that this is not being addressed more

Thank you for talking about these issues.

God bless caregivers. Its unfortunate that we as a nation forget we all grow older and will need assistance. Caregiving is a respectful job and the pay should reflect it.

We need to value care in our country. Professional caregivers must make a living wage and this increase cannot be passed on to the family caregivers who are already drowning. Thank you for this cost-of-care series. Keep them coming!

I worked for a home health agency that charged patients $30/hour but paid us $12/hour. I found this out when I was turning in my timecard and an office worker was telling a client that caregivers needed a raise so their rate would go up! Horrendous lie.

Thank you for reporting on this, please keep doing so. This is such an important issue.

Years ago, I took care of my mom and no outside help from city, government, or anything! It was hard! No resources.

$20 in Cali is nothing.

Its NOT the PAY thats bad - its the INFLATION. My wife and i were able to buy a home while making not much more than minimum wage back in the day. But poor policies drove up inflation which made housing unaffordable. We CONSUMERS had little to no control over that.

I work with the disabled in South Carolina & it’s the same thing . They take 9% out of our checks for pension & by the time taxes & benefits come out , you bring nothing home. State workers make way more money

$20/hr. Those people are not taking that home. The more you make the more they take

God bless this woman's heart! Thank you for all you do!

SHE'S AN ANGEL!!! ❤

Our country doesn't care about children or the elderly.

Caregivers are Angels… I am so grateful for the care and love they give to people with dementia and other illnesses ❤ I have been fortunate to witness their work in the care of my mom

❤IHSS needs to put more funds into it

I work as a caregiver and the pay is not good the agencies should be ashamed of themselves remember u pay for what u get

This story breaks my heart. In the richest country in the world we can and should do better!

Powerful story and GOD Bless the Caregiver ...what an Angel💜🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

In Texas the pay is as low as $8.50 an hour

I want Sabrina to take care of me. What a compassionate person to keep her promise to care for this elderly gentleman.