ampa, FL – At a town hall on April 5 about the senior care crisis, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn issued a proclamation declaring April 5th, 2016 as “Senior Care Day” calling for quality care standards in the long-term care industry and a living wage for nursing home workers and home care workers caring for Tampa’s seniors and people living with a disability.

See video about Florida's senior care crisis.

The town hall, hosted by the City of Tampa and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, brought together caregivers, consumers, industry experts, advocates, Mayor Buckhorn and more than 50 other participants to talk about the dangerous trend growing in Florida where some nursing homes and home care agencies are putting profits over care.

“It’s time to recognize the value and importance of health care workers; they are taking care of our loved ones, sometimes in the twilight of their life and you deserve to be respected,” expressed Mayor Buckhorn during the Town Hall. “I hope this conversation goes beyond this room and reaches legislators in Tallahassee as well as other Mayors.”



Tampa now joins Miami in a growing list of leading cities to address the growing crisis in a state that claims to be an ideal destination for seniors. Florida is the only state that has a watch list for nursing homes and 1 in 5 five centers is listed on the Agency for Healthcare Administration’s watch list due to chronically dangerous conditions. While the nursing home industry has enjoyed five straight years of market growth with revenues exceeding $350 billion annually, nursing homes and home care agencies are overworking and underpaying caregivers, and there are approximately 35 care consumers for each home care worker.



# # #

1199SEIU Florida represents more than 24,000 nurses & healthcare workers in Florida, as part of 1199SEIU United Health Care Workers East. For Quality Care & Quality Jobs!