DIGNITY
Care Provider Spotlight
Diana Graybeal, Gold Hill
Diana started out in homecare by taking care of her father when
he fell ill, and then later cared for her grandmother. “I realized it
was something I loved to do—taking care of people,” Diana said.
“It seemed to be my calling.” Diana has been a care provider for 9
years now and says, "It’s a passion of mine.”
Making that personal connection with her clients/consumers
means a lot to Diana. One of her most gratifying experiences
was taking on a client who had suffered for an extended period
of time with constant infections requiring multiple hospital visits.
Under Diana’s watch, her client’s health quickly improved, and
she didn’t require another hospitalization for over a year. Her
doctor even commented on how Diana’s quality care had been
____________________________________ essential in turning
things around.. To
see
her consumers
“The more I learned, the more I
happy and healthy
realized... WOW, this union really
is Diana’s greatest
does fight for worker rights...and I’m
reward.
one of those workers! I love what the
union stands for. The work we do is so Improvements in the
lives of consumers
important, we have to stand together
and care providers
and know our worth.
since Homecare
workers joined
503 have been
nothing short
of life-changing
for both. "My first introduction to the union was at the new
employee orientation. I didn’t know anything about it,” Diana
said. "I decided to get involved and started going to monthly
union meetings so I could understand more. The more I learned,
the more I realized...WOW, this union really does fight for worker
rights...and I’m one of those workers! We lift
each other up. Together in our union, we have a
voice.”
- Diana Graybeal, Homecare Worker
Eager to learn more about her union, Diana
recently chose to participate in SEIU’s Member
Leader Development Program (MLDP). MLDP
participants help build our union by connecting
with other homecare and personal support
workers about the value of union
membership. “Many don’t realize
half the things our union does for
us, how we fight for each other.”
Married for 12 years, Diana
and husband Thom live in
Gold Hill and are raising
their 6-year-old grandson.
They enjoy fishing, crabbing
and going to Oregon Ducks
games.
Patty Falkenstein, Tigard
“I first became a Personal Support Worker so I could care
for my daughter, Katina, who has Down Syndrome. Few can
advocate better than a parent because they simply know more
about their own family member. Katina attends a large group
daycare program one day a week, but is much happier making
choices about how she spends her time. Getting out into the
community and having interests has decreased her wandering
significantly.
When Katina graduated from High School, I left my career
as a therapist so I could be her full time Personal Support
Worker. This had a huge impact on our finances. We were
relying on social security disability payments to get by, and
barely making it. We went into foreclosure and almost lost our
home. When the union came in, it literally changed our lives.
For the first time in years I had access to healthcare and could
see a doctor.
After Katina turned 21,1 was able to get respite care so I
don t have to do this all by myself since she needs full time
supervision. We became financially secure enough to get off
social security and _________________ _______________
support ourselves
with my wages as
“Care providers are often isolated
a PSW. I’m even
from
each other, caring for loved ones
able to put a little
in
homes,
but through the union we
money away for
our retirement. We have built a powerful community of
have an emergency support and are working on ways to
fund now, which
communicate better among ourselves,
is something we
the
union, and the state. We’re in this
never imagined
together,
and we can do anything
before. Finally, we
have a vision of
when we stay united.”
stability and Katina
- Patty Falkenstein, Personal Support Worker
is getting the 24/
hr a day care that
she needs.
While SEIU 503 has changed the game
for care providers, we still have a lot
of improvements to the system we
have to work on. The payroll system
for HCW workers is still antiquated
and has issues that result in people
not getting paid and running the risk
of being evicted. Now that we have
come together as homecare workers
I know we can fix these problems.
I would encourage everyone who
is a care provider to get active in
our union. Caregivers deserve
the dignity and respect that
is afforded other industries,
especially now that the boomer
population is booming.”