We recently connected with Rebecca West and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rebecca, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Disclaimer:
While this essay frequently uses terms such as “women” and “mothers” to discuss caregiving and domestic labor, it is important to acknowledge that caregiving transcends gender. The historical context of caregiving has often been linked to women due to societal expectations, but people of all genders—men, nonbinary individuals, and others—play critical roles in caregiving today. The terms used here reflect historical and cultural patterns rather than a limitation on who can or does provide care.
Furthermore, the word “mother” is used to represent a caregiving figure, but caregiving is provided by individuals across the spectrum of gender identities.
What makes me so passionate and persistent about private caregiving is its direct connection to feminism.
Much of what home health aides, private caregivers, private duty nurses, and nursing assistants do reflects tasks that women have traditionally performed as unpaid domestic labor for generations. I once stumbled upon the quote, “All women work, but some of them are paid.” What a profound notion. Home health is a critical service for all but especially those with cognitive or physical limitations due to illness or age.
Private caregiving—an umbrella term I use to describe home health work both medical and non-medical—offers an opportunity to assign monetary value to the variety of labor inside the home women have historically provided as mothers, wives, teachers, nannies, maids, cooks, nurses, chaperones, drivers, therapists, and organizers of households.
When people fall ill or age to the point where they can no longer provide basic care for themselves, they require hired help. It is in these moments that the true worth of caregiving becomes apparent: searching for someone who can seamlessly switch between aforementioned roles, someone you trust in your home when you are must vulnerable, who provides care with empathy and dignity, you begin to see this is truly a big ask.
Our country is currently facing an aging care crisis, rooted in a severe shortage of caregivers to meet the growing needs of an aging population. By 2030, all baby boomers will be over the age of 65 (census.gov), despite this increasing demand, the caregiving workforce is shrinking. Low wages, high stress, and a lack of recognition for the value of this work deter many from entering the field (Press Ganey).
Is it any wonder? For generations, American culture has undervalued caregiving. Stay-at-home mothers for example, have been told they don’t “work,” that they don’t “support” their families by being a breadwinner, and that their contributions are not as valuable as those made in a traditional workplace. We are now reaping what society has long sowed, an under estimation on the value of domestic and emotional labor.
Burnout rates in caregiving fields are alarmingly high. According to the CDC, more than half of healthcare workers report symptoms of burnout, including exhaustion, depression, and stress. This mirrors the challenges faced by parents experiencing burnout, showing that caregiving, in any form, is emotionally and physically taxing (apa.org). Caring for ourselves and others is work.
Caregiving is also dangerous work. While the home is often seen as a haven, studies have shown it can be the most dangerous place for women (United Nations: https://tinyurl.com/mky7ypsc). In healthcare settings, the statistics are equally alarming: hospital workers experience approximately 57 assaults per day, with over 5,000 assaults reported against nursing personnel in just one quarter of 2022 (Press Ganey, 2021). These numbers also don’t include exposure to disease or other biological agents. So when we calculate the cost, should we include hazard pay?
When you find yourself unable to care for yourself without support you begin to question who you can trust in your most vulnerable moments— in our homes, where we are most defenseless—we must remind ourselves that this is a question women have wrestled with for decades. Who can we trust with our bodies? Who will honor our dignity, respect our vulnerabilities, and value the work required to keep us safe and cared for?
Private caregiving is not just about tending to physical needs; it is about recognizing the profound worth of labor that has remained invisible for too long. It is about valuing care, respect, and trust— this is not just a workforce problem, it’s a cultural issue we have long left unaddressed. The Invisible Crowd was started to try to address these issues and hopefully change people’s perspectives.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
We all need a little help sometimes, maybe even a lot of help a lot of the time.
The Invisible Crowd was created as a way to connect providers, resources and healthcare workers in Eagle County and across Colorado.
As a working CNA my passion is connecting with others in medicine and giving them a platform to support each other.
I am also a passionate advocate for seniors and finding ways for retirees to age with dignity in their homes.
Our health is precious The Invisible Crowd is there to provide professional, discreet and dependable care.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Winston Churchill once said “Success consists of going from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm.”
No career is without its fumbles or mistakes. Finding good mentors and supportive friends is critical to lift you up when situations feel challenging. Resilience is invaluable in any career but especially healthcare.
I was given the gift of stubbornness which keeps me motivated when I hear people say things like “nobody wants to work in long term care” or they look down on CNAs as part of the care team. There is value in all caregiving roles and we need to correct individuals when we hear then put others down.
The elderly need a rebrand- they are just as much if not more fun than the rest of us. I really think it’s time we check our stereotypes of seniors and others needing care.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Home care and caregiving for America’s aging population face a wide range of challenges. These issues stem from demographic shifts, financial pressures, workforce shortages, policy gaps, and changing healthcare needs.
1. Growing Demand for Care
Aging Population: The U.S. population aged 65 and older is projected to double by 2050. This increasing demand for caregiving services strains existing systems. Many older adults live with chronic illnesses (e.g., Alzheimer’s, diabetes, arthritis), requiring specialized and long-term care.
2. Workforce Shortages
Caregiver Shortage: There is a critical lack of professional caregivers, including home health aides, personal care assistants, and nurses. Low wages and high turnover rates contribute to this problem.
Caregiving is physically and emotionally demanding, leading to high levels of stress and burnout among both professional and family caregivers.
3. Policy and Systemic Gaps
Lack of coordination between healthcare providers, social services, and home care agencies can lead to gaps in care. Regulatory Challenges like variations in state regulations complicate the provision and funding of home care services compounds issues.
Lastly, limited Access in rural and underserved communities often lack adequate caregiving resources and infrastructure.
On top of all these challenges there is still a strong stigma attached to ‘long term’ or ‘senior care’ which is a narrative I am really hoping to address with The Invisible Crowd.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theinvisiblecrowd.org
- Instagram: theinvisiblecrowdco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theinvisiblecrowd
Image Credits
Myself
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
