Home care providers and SEIU HCII members Gilda Brown and Annette Jones traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to join allies in pushing for reforms aimed at strengthening home care. The trip was organized by Caring Across Generations, a coalition of over 200 organizations that stand united for job creation, job quality, training and career ladders, a road map to citizenship, and support for care consumers and their families.

Jones and Brown participated in over 40 legislative visits and introduced Senate and House resolutions calling for a comprehensive approach to expanding and supporting a strong home care workforce. They shared personal stories with Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk from Illinois, and Gilda Brown brought tears to lawmaker’s eyes during a panelist briefing with Representative Jan Schakowsky as she explained the struggles home care providers and consumers face every day.

With our aging US population, it’s estimated that by 2014 there will be a need for one million home care providers across our country. We applaud Gilda Brown and Annette Jones for helping to lead the fight to ensure seniors, people with disabilities, and their families have access to the quality home care they need, and that providers have quality jobs to meet their needs as well.