Quadriplegic Carl Schulze completes 127-mile wheelchair journey highlighting Wisconsin home care crisis

Carl Schulze, a quadriplegic advocate from Neenah, Wisconsin, completed a 125- to 127-mile journey by wheelchair to the state Capitol in Madison to raise awareness about the state's home healthcare worker crisis. His trek, averaging 10 to 11 miles daily over about three weeks, highlighted the challenges faced by people with disabilities due to low pay and benefits for home health aides, exacerbated by recent Medicaid cuts under President Donald Trump's administration. Schulze emphasized that caregivers, often paid around $15 an hour, are underpaid compared to other jobs, leading to staffing shortages that jeopardize the care and dignity of disabled individuals. Throughout his trip, Schulze experienced firsthand the impact of caregiver absenteeism, including nights spent sleeping in his wheelchair, which poses health risks. His journey garnered support from Wisconsin’s disability rights community, culminating in a rally at the Capitol to call for better funding and recognition of home health aides. Schulze used social media to livestream and document the journey, aiming to leverage public attention to push for systemic change in healthcare policies affecting disabled residents and their caregivers.