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Background: Increased demand for home and community-based services continues to outpace the entry rate of home care workers (HCWs) who provide this vital assistance to older adults receiving care at home. HCWs face a number of challenges (e.g., low wages, isolation, inadequate training, not feeling respected or valued) that contribute to widespread concern about inadequate staff retention across long-term care. Of particular concern is the lack of research on HCWs, especially on their emotional health during stressful circumstances (e.g., COVID-19). Purpose: To understand multiple perspectives on the HCW experience, thisresearch describes the emotional health of successful HCWs, defined as HCWs who have received a Service Excellence Award from Council on Aging.Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted in the fall of 2020 with a purposive sample of HCWs (n=17) and home care agency providers (n=10). Interviews were transcribed, checked for accuracy, and coded via thematic analysis. Results: This research project reveals four main takeaways. First, providers and HCWs acknowledge complementary perceptions of success (e.g., importance of relationships, self-care and self-kindness) and differences in perceptions of success (e.g., importance of pre-employment preparation vs. ability to regulate emotions). Second, providers and HCWs conceptualize emotional health in distinct ways that intersect in terms of one’s ability to balance and stabilize their emotions despite challenges faced on the job. Third, regardless of these varying perceptions, both groups unanimously prioritize the role of emotional health as importantly linked to HCW success. Finally, many internal (e.g., self-kindness, self-care, positive mindset) and external (e.g., clients, agency policies, COVID-19) factors promote or hinder the emotional health of HCWs. Discussion: Overall, this study recognizes the important role of emotional health in supporting the success of HCWs. However, efforts to foster emotional health alone cannot address other systemic inequities that these marginalized workers confront. It is evident that emotional health needs to be assessed alongside other important outcomes, such as physical and economic health, all of which contribute to total worker well-being and the retention of a critical segment of the long-term care workforce. Findings from this study reiterate the importance of policy implications regarding the connection of low wages to emotional health, as well as implications for practice through enhancing training and support for HCWs. The scientific knowledge gained from this project can help inform future interventions for training, development, and retention of HCWs. |
