Sarah Allen - Princeton, WV

Sarah Allen: I'm Sarah Allen. I am 29 years old. I've lived in Princeton all my life. Being blind from means that I just, I can't see. So sight is not my world. I hear things better than anything. And hearing is more my world. So for example. I don't want someone asking me what color something is. That happens all the time... Cause I can't see the color. Medicaid pays for me to have a caregiver 5 days a week, 7 hours a day. Some of the personal tasks that my caregiver helps me with are they get my shower set up for me and if I'm struggling with arthritis, they wash any part that I can't get. If I need help putting something on because I can't find the tag or something she helps me. I need someone who's not family to be my caregiver. It actually provides some companionship. Independence is important for me because It just gives me the freedom to be able to make my own decisions. Now there are some decisions I need help with. But it gives me the freedom to be allowed to choose what I can do and what I cannot do. My caregiver's name is Sandy, and she is a wonderful lady. I can't stop bragging on her. She is someone who goes above and beyond to make sure that I have what I need and even what I want. She just makes sure that I'm comfortable, happy if something's out of place, if I'm upset or anxious, she seems like she always asks me what's wrong and tries to help. She's always there for a listening ear to talk to. She'll go to the end of the earth to make sure I have care. Someone who's good like Sandy gets dismissed easily. But she worked so hard. And she...and she deserves to be paid well. The state of West Virginia, who provides our caregivers, to me, it's obvious that even though they provide the caregivers, that they don't understand how much a client needs a caregiver. My company now pays my caregivers. $11.50 an hour. It doesn't seem like $11.50 an hour is always a good rate to attract good quality people. I'm not elderly. I'm not bed fast. I can get out of bed. So if my worker calls in, they consider me someone who doesn't always need coverage. All West Virginians, regardless of whether they have a disability or not, deserve good quality health care.