In response to the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians living in the United States, Mass Senior Care was recently featured in an article published in Kaiser Health News and The Washington Post, “As Trump targets immigrants, elderly and others brace to lose caregivers.” Tara Gregorio, Association President say the repeal of the TPS designation will further exacerbate workforce shortage concerns facing skilled nursing facilities who provide quality care to frail and disabled residents.
“What people don’t seem to understand is that people from other countries really are the backbone of long-term care,” said Sister Jacquelyn McCarthy, Chief Executive of Bethany Health Care Center and Mass Senior Care Board Member. She has eight Haitian and Salvadoran workers with TPS, mostly certified nursing assistants, who show up reliably for 4:30 a.m. shifts and never call out sick, she said. She already has six CNA vacancies and can’t afford to lose more, Sr. McCarthy said.