NEENAH, WISCONSIN, USA: A family in Neenah is grappling with the harsh realities of a nationwide nursing shortage while battling to secure crucial medical care for their children with special needs. Mindy and Mark Peski, parents to five children, find themselves in an unending cycle of struggle to maintain normalcy. Four of their children require special attention, with one-year-old Levon having Goldenhar syndrome and depending on a tracheostomy for breathing.
The Peskis are in dire need of support. Their four-year-old, Isaac, has been confined to the children‘s Hospital in Milwaukee due to kidney failure, awaiting a transplant. Mindy’s resolve is tested as she shuttles between home and hospital, often leaving Mark to care for their other children. Despite being approved for over 20 hours of nursing care daily, the family’s needs are unmet due to the severe shortage of private duty nurses and respite caregivers.
This shortage not only creates emotional and physical strain but also raises practical concerns about existing healthcare infrastructure. Wisconsin faces a stark shortfall, lacking 14,000 nurses expected to be exacerbated by 2030. State officials point to factors such as insufficient pay, varying schedules, and inadequate training funding as the root causes.
Seeking some relief, the Peskis managed to hire Erin Harris, a local respite worker, to assist with overnight shifts. Yet, substantial gaps remain in daily caregiving needs, leaving Mindy to operate in exhaustion. As they anxiously await Isaac’s kidney transplant, the family’s plea underscores a broader call for systemic changes to address the healthcare workforce deficiency that affects countless families across the state and nation.
