COVID Negatively Impacted Working Women
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all of our lives but perhaps none more acutely than senior citizens and their adult children who worried for the safety of their loved ones. Vaccinations are more readily available now — those with at least one vaccine dose are up to 40% in New York State (as of April 15, 2021,) — and most of us are focusing on managing life after COVID.
A population segment that is sure to have a rougher time of rebounding are the women who have left the workforce or lost their jobs during the pandemic. Distress over jobless women’s re-entry trouble is recognized at the highest level of government.
2.5 Million Women Left the Workforce During the Pandemic. Harris Sees a ‘National Emergency.’
“In one year,” Vice President Kamala Harris said, “the pandemic has put decades of the progress we have collectively made for women workers at risk.”
New York Times, March 30, 2021
COVID sidelined women to a greater extent than men. Not only did women lose more jobs than men due to the pandemic, but COVID also disrupted the progress women have made in the workforce and the financial and health protections that come with it.
“Women tend to be heavily employed in vulnerable sectors such as retail, restaurants and hospitality. They also often work in informal jobs, from selling wares on the streets to sewing at home, that lack protections such as paid sick leave or unemployment insurance. When those jobs disappeared, women had no social safety net to fall back on.”
Melinda Gates & David Malpass (World Bank Group,) March 3, 2021
The spotlight that these disproportionate female job losses shine on gender inequality is startling in its inequity. More troubling, the role women tend to play as caregivers seems to have been negatively impacted.
“The evidence from our research is clear: what is good for greater gender equality is also good for the economy and society as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic puts that into stark relief and raises some critically important choices: Women make up 39 percent of global employment but account for 54 percent of overall job losses. One reason for this greater effect on women is that the virus is significantly increasing the burden of unpaid care, which is disproportionately carried by women.”
McKinsey Global Institute – July 15, 2020
Women Became the Household’s Caregiver
Women are the household’s “natural caregivers”: when kids were home from school during COVID, they turned to Mom for how to weather the crisis. Mom was also the adult daughter or caregiver of seniors who needed even more sensitive handling because of their vulnerability to COVID.
WFC offers services that can help career women get back to work.
- During the pandemic we, at WFC, observed that COVID caused many adult children, and particularly daughters, to work remotely from home.
- In many cases, these adult daughters took on care responsibilities for their parents or loved ones. This was true whether these adult daughters moved their parent(s) into their own home(s) or their parent(s) lived nearby.
- In other cases, they were hesitant to send their parent into eldercare facilities which needed to carry out safety lockdowns. This was true for adult daughters who took on care responsibilities by moving the parent(s) into their own home or caring for their parent(s) who lived close by, especially if the parent or loved one declined during COVID.
In all cases, WFC assists adult daughters get back to work. We let daughters be daughters again by allowing them to refocus on their lives and careers.
New Opportunities for Women Displaced by COVID
Simply stated, there is a need to create or discover solutions for how women can return to the workforce. Equally important is to provide caregiving solutions for their parents or loved ones.
There is good news that the home care industry is the fastest-growing job market right now. Jobs in healthcare (of which home care is a profession) are exploding – and not just for doctors or nurses. A job as a Certified Home Health Aide is both a functional and viable option for women looking to switch careers.
Several reasons explain how and why the path is open for displaced career women to explore the profession of caregiving and become a Certified Home Health Aide. The following motivations are offered by homehealthaideguide.com
- Embrace a new challenge: women interested in blazing a new path for themselves can challenge themselves to push up to new heights.
- No place like home: most seniors needing care generally prefer to receive assistance in their own home. It’s more cost-effective than the same level of care in an eldercare facility. Plus, in-home care is routinely the first choice for the client, the family, and medical professionals.
- Be part of the trend: It’s been well-documented that an aging population is setting the demand that the healthcare industry is addressing. Becoming a Home Health Aide puts the career changer in the heart of the fastest-growing segment of healthcare.
- Fill the shortage void: Currently, the demand for home care is outstripping the number of certified professionals able to meet it. There are shortages of both Certified Home Health Aides and Certified nursing assistants (CNA’s). Becoming an HHA opens the door to being asked to assume greater responsibilities. This can translate into more money and career advancements.
- Training is readily available: The certification training for Home Health Aides does not require a college degree or expensive fees. Westchester Family Care offers free training, a sign-on bonus, and many other benefits (see next section.) The training is thorough and the skills that are taught can be relied on for the rest of one’s career.
WFC is the Ideal Place to Get Started
Westchester Family Care is always hiring knowledgeable, compassionate caregivers. In-home hourly and live-in care are becoming increasingly important, providing many employment opportunities across Westchester County, NY, and Fairfield Country, CT.
Beyond these motivations, here are more benefits of working for a licensed home care agency like Westchester Family Care:
- Weekly pay with direct deposits
- Sign-on bonus of $500
- Ongoing training and career development
- Flexible schedule and hours
- Support from the agency for backup coverage
- Agency programs and insurance
- Benefits include paid vacation, paid sick time, savings, and medical insurance
So if your career and life have been negatively affected by COVID, or even if you’re just looking for a more stable work environment, check out Westchester Family Care for a career as a certified caregiver. We can help if you’re seeking a new career with free training, full-time or part-time employment, and live-in and hourly shifts.
We are an award-winning agency. WFC received the Best of Home Care Employer of Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 as a result of direct feedback from our exceptional caregivers.
Helping loved ones stay in the homes they cherish is our calling, and we’re honored to serve families in Westchester County, including New Rochelle, Larchmont, Harrison, Scarsdale, Rye, and surrounding areas.
Contact us today to get more information about our senior care services. We’re available 24/7 to take your call, answer your in-home care questions, and schedule a complimentary home evaluation. We look forward to getting to know you!
Westchester Family Care Inc. assists people of all ages, by customizing home care plans to maintain healthy quality of life and safety at home.
Contact WFC for an immediate family need or when planning for future needs: info@westfamilycare.com, 914-223-8067, www.westchesterfamilycare.com
Westchester Family Care Provides Peace of Mind and Confidence that the Elderly Are Safe and Living with Dignity in Their Own Home.