Not many are lucky enough to say they are passionate about their jobs, but I’m so grateful that I can say that every day. As a home care worker, I spend my days caring for our state’s most vulnerable residents. Home care work is an opportunity to help people through their toughest days and provide them the level of care we all deserve. Being a home care worker is so much more than just providing a service, it is about being a part of a family. I started providing my own home care when my mom broke her hip about 10 years ago, and then I packed up my life in Southern California, moved to Nevada, and haven’t looked back since.

Right now, the Silver State has nearly 13,000 home care workers — a job historically known for low pay rates — and we are expected to need an additional 5,300 more by 2026. Demand for home care services is growing not just in Nevada, but all over the country. Our population is aging, and it’s projected that there will be a 163 percent increase in the population aged 65 years or older through 2040. This will be the fourth most in-demand job sector nationwide by 2028, creating a massive care gap that could hinder the quality of care for our loved ones unless we can attract more workers into home care.

Home care workers are essential, and the need for more home care workers is only growing every day.

Nevada’s elected officials, including Governor Sisolak, have recognized this need and made conscious efforts recently to support the home care workforce. In May, the Legislature passed SB340, the Nevada Home Care Workforce Safety and Standards Act, establishing a home care employment standards board to oversee and make recommendations on the minimum wage and working conditions of home care workers, giving us a seat at the table.

Additionally, the governor recently noted that home care workers are critical to Nevada in an announcement that Nevada’s Medicaid home care workers would be eligible for $500 supplement payments, a program offered through the American Rescue Plan Act. The message is clear: Nevada lawmakers understand the value of home care workers. Now we must continue to urge them, along with lawmakers across the country, to continue supporting us through the pandemic.

At the federal level, Nevada Representatives Susie Lee and Dina Titus recently met with home care workers and listened to our concerns about home care pay in our state. Rep. Lee introduced Direct Creation, Advancement, and Retention Of Employment (CARE) Opportunity Act, which would provide $1 billion in home care investments.

In our meeting with Rep. Titus, we outlined our highest priorities: earning a living, decent wage and access to medical benefits. As long as our lawmakers are willing to have these hard, eye-opening conversations, we can have change for the better.

The message is clear: Nevada lawmakers understand the value of home care workers, and moving forward we must demand their support throughout the pandemic and years to come.

Make no mistake, this is a great start to recognizing our home care workers, but there’s still a long way to go. Home care workers in Nevada still make less than the national average, and we deserve to make a living wage. Equally as important, benefits – time off, paid holidays, and medical – are far below other industries. We deserve to have the same opportunity to spend time with family, enjoy holidays, and take much-needed rest to then provide our patients with the care they need. These will be crucial as we continue to expand this industry and bring good jobs to the state for decades to come.

Gina Pizano is a member of SEIU NV 1107 and lives in Las Vegas, where she has been a home care worker for the past decade.