GREECE, N.Y. — New York state lawmakers are considering a bill which would raise the pay for home health aides. While it’s important to many who are trying to make a living caring for others, one Rochester man says it’s the only way he will be able to move into a home of his own.

Flip Polizzi Rivera wants what anyone does -- his own home. He has cerebral palsy and uses a special device to communicate.

What You Need To Know

  • State lawmakers have proposed the Fair Pay for Home Care Act, which would raise the minimum pay for home care aides

  • While it’s important to many who are trying to make a living caring for others, one Rochester man says it’s the only way he will be able to move into a home of his own

  • A home care shortage due to low pay for workers was made worse by the pandemic

“Many people said you cannot do it by yourself,” he said.

Polizzi Rivera purchased a house in the town of Greece last year. It is being renovated to make it wheelchair-accessible. But he can’t move in yet because he needs around-the-clock care. So he remains in a nursing home.

“I am still trying to find home care to enable me to move out,” said Rivera. “I ran into many barriers, and I cannot even count how many.”

The main barrier, he says, is a home care shortage due to low pay for workers. It’s a problem made worse by the pandemic.

“It doesn’t make sense,” said Heather Burroughs, Flip’s close friend.

Burroughs is a mom who had to leave a 20-year career to care for her own child, for similar reasons.

“You pay somebody $13 an hour, they might come to work,” Burroughs said. “They might not. They might not show up.”

Burroughs joined Polizzi Rivera at a recent news conference at the house he bought, to fight for higher wages for home health care workers. 

“When you have somebody that's that knowledgeable and that smart and they are so connected and they can't get out of a nursing home,” said Burroughs. “It shows you where the problems really are.“

State lawmakers have proposed the Fair Pay for Home Care Act, which would raise the minimum pay for home care aides.

“We can see firsthand from Flip’s story, what it means to him,” said Assemblymember Sarah Clark (D-Rochester). “What it means to him to be able to live with independence and dignity in his own home.”

For 15 years, Polizzi Rivera has lived in long-term care. It’s not home. This is the place he wants to be.

“My ability to move into my home and live with dignity in my community is resting on you,” he told lawmakers.