Caring for Caregivers: Challenges of Paid Caring Labor in the United States Home Health Industry

My paper critically examines the U.S. home health aide industry through a feminist analysis of
the relationships between home health aides, their patients, and the medical establishment. This
research adds to current feminist scholarship on care work by focusing on the social, legal and
personal relationships impacting the lives of those who give and receive care. According to the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, home health aides are one of the lowest paid members of the
healthcare field, and hiring agencies expect high turnover rates and few long-term careers. Aides
provide basic care services such as bathing, dressing, and meal preparation for elderly and
disabled clients. This industry is situated at the boundary between the public/private divide,
leading to many challenges as paid care work is performed in private homes. Historically, care
work was an expected duty done freely by the women of the family, but today much of the vital
intimate caring labor is relegated to a workforce made up predominantly of immigrant and
women of color. I add to feminist debates on gender and caregiving using intersectional analysis
and standpoint theory; discussing how race and class impact women’s ability to care for their
own families as they are paid very little caring for others. I address the implications for the
medical establishment to promote sustainable caring relationships between care recipients and
providers, and conclude that caring for the caregiver is essential in order to ensure a successful
model for patient care.