As a home care worker, I am absolutely essential for my clients, two women in their 80s and 90s. Despite my crucial work caring for others’ family members, I can barely take care of my own. My miserably low wages of $11.25 an hour are not enough to support my three children and we are forced to rely on food stamps and Medicaid.

Thirteen thousand home care workers throughout Nevada, in urban and rural communities, have been going through similar struggles for decades. 

But now finally we have hope. 

Through our union, we fought for and won a historic $16 minimum wage for home care workers and a major funding increase in the most recent state budget. These groundbreaking victories will not only allow workers to put food on the table, but also help attract and keep workers in this vital field so Nevada’s seniors and people with disabilities get the quality care they deserve. 

I’ve been in the caring professions my entire life because I see giving to others as a calling. For many years I worked in early childhood education, so the transition to home care work was natural. In each field you have to be kind, attentive and, most importantly, listen to the needs of those in your care.

When I’m combing my clients’ hair or cooking them a nutritious meal, I make sure to talk with them about how they’re feeling and what they’re going through. These heart-to-heart conversations are so needed because our seniors are often vulnerable to loneliness and depression. I also provide the support that allows my clients to have a good quality of life in their own homes, rather than being sent to a nursing home. My daily tasks include bathing, grocery shopping, doing laundry and reminding them to take their medications on time.

I love this work, but I don’t know how long I can stay with it. I’m a single mom and two of my children are autistic, requiring special attention and medical care. Because of my meager wages and inflation, my kids and I had to move back in with my 79-year-old mother. 

The anxiety of fighting daily to survive has caused me to have severe panic attacks where I find it hard to even breathe.

Other caregivers I know are suffering in the same cycle of poverty. We work extremely hard and have some of the most important jobs in the world, yet we are some of the most underappreciated and underpaid workers. Few people want to enter this field anymore because it’s impossible to make ends meet. This has caused a workforce shortage emergency as Nevada’s population rapidly ages and needs more home care workers than ever before.

A few years ago, home care workers said enough is enough and started mobilizing for change. Working together with our union, we advocated for the passage of SB340 in 2021, which established a Home Care Employment Standards Board. Workers spoke out and got the standards board to pass many crucial recommendations, including a minimum wage and an increase in Medicaid funding. Then, caregivers went to Carson City and advocated powerfully with state legislators to put those recommendations into law.

My spirits soared when I heard that, in early June, state lawmakers passed the $16 minimum wage and an increase in funding. It felt like we were finally beginning to be recognized for our dedication and our central role in the lives of older Nevadans and people with disabilities.

In recent months, hundreds of home care workers, including myself, have voted to officially join our union so that we can make sure our employers spend the increased funding on benefits such as health care and paid time off. 

Some of the stress about my family's future is starting to lift from my shoulders and I’m more at ease. I have peace of mind and faith, knowing that through collective action, we can continue to create a better future for ourselves and the people we care for. 

Chrystal Taylor is a home care worker who lives in Las Vegas and is represented by SEIU Local 1107.