Commuter Costs Hurting Home Health Aides

They’re A Lifeline For Some, But Can Caregivers Continue As Cost Of Driving Rises?

(CBS)  Her drive through the Adirondacks in upstate New York may be scenic, but it's not short.

By the time Mary Goralczyk pulls into Ray Dennis' place, she's already clocked about 100 miles, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane.

"I don't know what I'd do without these aides - I don't know what I'd do," Dennis, a 92-year-old patient, said.

Goralczyk's regular visits as a home health aide are a lifeline for Dennis, providing care and compainionship.

"Hey Mary! When are you going to get married again?" he asks her.

She laughed: "When you do!"

It's a good thing the work is rewarding, because the salary is not. Often pulling 50-hour weeks, Goralczyk makes about $25,000 a year.

"I don't think I'm poor. But I think there's a lot of things that I don't think we're going to be able to do that we used to do," she said. "Can't afford it."

That means buying brand-name shampoo or taking extra trips to the mall are out for 15-year-old daughter, Jamie.

"There's times, I know when winter's gonna come, it's gonna be really difficult," Goralczyk said. "I think it's gonna be difficult. 'Cause you gotta put gas in your car or put oil in your oil tank."

Goralczyk is reimbursed for the mileage, but that's not kept pace with the spike in gas prices … never mind the wear and tear on the car.

Three times a week, she drives an hour to another one of her clients, Steven Gonyo, who, at 54, had a brain aneurism and can't be left alone.

"I suppose this is something you think is never going to happen to you?" Doane asked Steven's wife, Juanita Gonyo.

"Nobody thinks this is going to happen," she said.

Without a home health aide, Juanita Gonyo would be forced to quit her job at a local ski resort. The home health aides are vital to her.

"Yes. No doubt about it. If they don't come, I don't work - then we go into the welfare system. And that's not where I want to be," she said.

But getting aides to make the long commute is a big concern. The Gonyos already lost Judy Gates' service one day a week.

"How long about was it when you decided - I can't keep working with the Gonyo's as much?" Doane asked Gates.

"Just about three weeks - I hung on for another week and then I just said, 'I can't, not with the gas prices and everything,'" she said.

And Gates has been in healthcare for 30 years - and says it's never been this tough. She's even had to borrow gas money.

"My car - it's all I have that's worth anything ... I don't want to just keep driving it until it stops. I don't have money to buy a new car," she said.

Gates and Goralczyk's employer, North Country Home Services, has seen aides are asking for paychecks early - and refusing cases in rural areas.

The Gonyos never thought they'd need this kind of care - but can't imagine how they'd do without.

[davida_mpls]

Baicas... You are, of course, correct that home health aides provide many important services that cannot be done online. No question about that. However, home health agencies can re-design their care processes to complement in-home care with remote monitoring and to substitute video televists for some (NOT all) in-home visits. Telemedicine cannot replace in-home care. But with thoughtful planning of the overall care process it can be part of the solution by decreasing the need for some home visits.

[cfkid1]

Good morning everyone. I just wanted to say that im a nursing asst and a home health aide and a pca. The cost of driving to clients home most of the time does not even out with your paycheck. I beleave there should be a law that states that every home health aide/pca get paid for there gas to the clients home mabe not the whole bill but at least half. Sometimes when you get to a clients home they need to taken to the dr or to the store and that again costs more gas. Every home care company know s that the gas prices are high and that everyone is having a hard time being able to pay for gas so I beleave that they should step forward and say ok well give you .50 per mile that you traval or give home health aides a gas card so that they can use that instead of there own cash. I dont thank that ill ever give up this job I love helping people however it does cost alot to run my car.Somedays I drive 100 miles round trip thats to my clients homes then back to my house . I also understand that the cost should not be put on the clients neather becase they need all the money they have im very disabled myself and still able to work but only part time . I wish there was something that the united states government would do .... If anyone has a pention going around please email me at [e-mail] so that I can sign it as well . Maybe if we got enough names they would take a look at these isseus may god be with you all during these vary hard times
david

[lewiston14]

The story is tragic. Most of these people look forward to seeing sombody once in a while. But if you loose money in the end what is the point. Im not driving an hour to see somebody if I loose in the end the hell with that. If out country wants me to visit a sick person no problem but dont expect me to take a loss. Even break even works but not a loss. I think the goverment thinks just let them die then they dont have to worry about it anymore.

[baicas]

David,

These health aides do more than come in and check on them. They cook a meal, clean the house help with bathing, and clean clothes, do laundry...Now you can''t do that on line no matter how hard you try.

[sweetandiscr]

Thank you so much for this news story. I also previously worked as a home health aide and I have also suffered the same fate. I no longer work through an agency because of the raising gas prices. Eventhough, my agency was offering mileage reimbursement at $0.39/per gallon, it still fell $0.05 short of the $0.44 offered to truckers or other transportation services. Although, the IRS states that the mileage reimbursement is untaxable income it was often calculated in with my regular wages. Putting me in a higher tax bracket at the end of the year. After taxes, I barely broke even and sometimes owed federal taxes. The only way to try and recoup the difference or $.05/mile, in my case was to file a 1099 tax form. My tax preparer said I wouldn''t see a nickle because I do not qualify to file a 1099.

[davida_mpls]

There is a solution to the impact of rising transportation costs hurting home health aids. It%u2019s telemedicine. The ability to transmit patient information in real time is yielding significant results by linking health care providers to patients at home for remote monitoring and direct consultation via telehealth video visits. Using readily available telehealth technology, the conditions of patients at home can be remotely monitored daily (and even 24/7, if necessary). Video televisits with patients can supplement in-home visits %u2013 reducing the number of home visits needed and establishing constant connected care.