This summer, Debra DeBruin, PhD is mentoring MaryGrace Trifilio on her research of public discourse and policy regarding older adult caregiving. Trifilio is one of two fellows of the Humphrey School’s Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy. As part of their original research on gender policies, they work closely with the curator of the Center’s Gender Policy Report.
According to the CWGPP, “MaryGrace’s work highlights the gendered and raced dimensions of elder caregiving. As she puts it, “home health aides are almost always women, and women are more likely than male relations to become the carer for a homebound elder.” During her fellowship, MaryGrace will analyze labor exploitation of home healthcare aides in New York City and the omission of elder care in policy discussions of caring labor. Eldercare policy is of critical importance as the population of the United States "grays.””