Rosa Beltran
I’ve been an IHSS provider for four years. I care for both of my parents, who are in their 80s. My mom has dementia and my dad has diabetes and limited mobility, so I help with daily tasks around the house – cooking, laundry, running errands, and making sure they both take their medication at the right time. I’ve always been close to my parents, and I am grateful that IHSS gives me the chance to care for them at home instead of putting them in a nursing home – after all, they always cared for me when I was growing up.
One of my passions is supporting my fellow caregivers and members of my community. I’ve met so many IHSS providers who feel alone and stressed out. Through my work with our Health and Welfare program, I’ve learned of many resources I can provide, so no caregiver feels isolated and without help. I’ve also been active in walking people through the citizenship application process. A lot of people need help and don’t have the time or resources to apply on their own. It’s good that UDW is in our communities and helping people.
There are also so many people who need in-home care who don’t even know the IHSS program exists until they meet a home care provider. I love that our union and our UDW caregivers are a valuable resource to so many people in our communities.
My goal is to grow our union, so we can build our power. I want to encourage members to volunteer and get involved because that’s the only way we can fight attacks on IHSS and win improvements for caregivers. I look forward to this chapter in my life!