Protecting workers in the home care industry: workers' experienced job demands, resource gaps, and benefits following a socially supportive intervention

Home Health Care Serv Q. 2018 Jul-Sep;37(3):259-276. doi: 10.1080/01621424.2018.1470590. Epub 2018 May 15.

Abstract

The Community of Practice and Safety Support (COMPASS) program is a peer-led group intervention for home care workers. In a randomized controlled trial, COMPASS significantly improved workers' professional support networks and safety and health behaviors. However, quantitative findings failed to capture workers' complex emotional, physical, and social experiences with job demands, resource limitations, and the intervention itself. Therefore, we conducted qualitative follow-up interviews with a sample of participants (n = 28) in the program. Results provided examples of unique physical and psychological demands, revealed stressful resource limitations (e.g., safety equipment access), and elucidated COMPASS's role as a valuable resource.

Keywords: Caregiving work issues; health promotion; home care; job demands; resources; safety; social support; well-being.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Health Resources / supply & distribution*
  • Home Care Services / standards*
  • Home Care Services / trends
  • Humans
  • Nurse-Patient Relations
  • Nurses, Community Health / psychology*
  • Oregon
  • Salaries and Fringe Benefits / trends
  • Social Support*
  • Workload / psychology
  • Workload / standards*