More on caregivers in the United States
Who work as caregivers? First it is a misconception that all caregivers in the U.S. are illegal residents. There are U.S. citizens and green card holders who work as caregivers because of the pay. Singles with no family in the U.S. and do not want to pay rent also like to work as caregivers.
What’s more, they love what they do. There are also Filipinos who come here as tourists who work as caregivers then go back home before their tourist visa expires.
They work as caregivers because that’s the best job they can find since by U.S. laws they are not supposed to work in the U.S. Non-green card holders who are non-English speakers work as farm laborers, kitchen workers and other menial jobs.
Yes, there are those who have overstayed their stay in the U.S. and are still working as caregivers. That’s a given. Many of them overstay for longer than what they are allowed.
They came because they intend to leave their philandering husbands (these are mostly women) or they are here because they are single or the only bread winner in the family with financial obligations to settle back in the Philippines.
This writer is not encouraging would-be caregivers to stay in the U.S. illegally but I would say that the Church does not find that immoral. In fact, some parishes help those who have overstayed.
Some lucky ones find a new spouse who is a U.S. citizen. That gives them the opportunity to become U.S. citizens too. In very rare cases, very rich employers will sponsor them to stay in the U.S.
Most patients prefer Filipino caregivers because they are more loving and caring of the elderly. It’s our Filipino culture.
We love and respect our elders. And of course, we speak English. Some of us speak in broken English with very heavy accent but still we can communicate.
How do Filipino caregivers find jobs? There are many caregiver agencies owned by Filipinos. To find these agencies, the best search is to ask friends for personal references. Simply because they are Filipino agencies do not mean that they will not take advantage of their fellow countrymen. Sure there are unsavory agencies but there are more good Filipino-owned agencies willing to help and will not take advantage of the caregiver. If there are scrupulous caregiver agencies, there are also unworthy caregivers who deserve to be booted out of the country for taking advantage of the elderly.
And that my friends are as far as I know.
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