Is Caregiving a Career? 30 Years in Home Care, Grief, Advocacy & Why Pay Must Change

What is it really like to build a 30-year career in professional caregiving?

In this episode of The Care Collective Podcast, I sit down with Christina Potts, a retired home health aide turned caregiver advocate, to talk about the realities of working in home care for three decades.

We discuss the hidden grief caregivers carry when clients pass away, why caregiving is often misunderstood as “just a job,” and the emotional resilience required to stay in the field long-term. Christina shares how formal training shaped her approach, what families should look for when hiring caregivers, and why background checks and credentials matter more than people realize.

We also dive into caregiver burnout, sexual harassment in home care, the national caregiver shortage, Medicaid and Medicare concerns, and the urgent need for better pay and benefits, including the push toward $20/hour wages and long-term retirement support for care workers.

If you are:

• A professional caregiver

• A family caregiver

• Considering caregiving as a career

• Hiring in-home care for a loved one

• Or advocating for better caregiver wages and protections

This conversation will give you insight, validation, and practical perspective.

Caregiving is real work. It is skilled work. And it deserves recognition.

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Follow The Care Collective for more honest conversations about caregiving, grief, burnout, and building sustainable support systems for those who care for others.