U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging, has recently written a letter to Papa Inc., seeking details on the company’s background check system. This inquiry follows disturbing reports involving sexual harassment and alleged assault incidents concerning the company’s clients and caregivers. Papa, Inc. specializes in providing non-medical assistance to older adults and receives payments from both Medicare and private health insurers. Chairman Casey underscores the paramount importance of ensuring client safety and treating care workers with utmost dignity amidst the growing demand for home care services.
“With the increasing demand for home care services to enable older adults and people with disabilities to live at home, service providers must ensure they are offering their clients the opportunity to live safely. Similarly, care workers deserve to be treated with dignity. The allegations of abuse by both Papa care workers and clients, as well as the lack of training and oversight to prevent and address future problems, raise deep concerns,” wrote Chairman Casey.
Recent reporting from Bloomberg revealed evidence of over 1,200 confidential complaints to the company over the past four years, including harassment of both clients and caregivers, dozens of allegations of sexual harassment and assault, and reports of theft and unsafe work environments. In the letter, Senator Casey asked Papa to provide a range of information, including its recent complaints, safety procedures, and the adequacy of its vetting process.
Read the letter here.
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