Job-related stress and coping among home-care workers with elderly people.
Little is known about the job-related stress of home-care workers from the point of view of the workers themselves. Thirty-two home-care workers from six community-based, home-care programs sponsored by New York area Catholic Charities agencies were studied. The subjects predominantly were female, white, observant Christians, with a median age of 49 years. Test scores revealed little reported stress; however, interviews revealed significant stress that resulted primarily from interpersonal interactions, affective tasks, and insufficient pay. Coping strategies appeared to include denial, identification with clients, altruism. Low pay was the workers' primary dissatisfaction. The authors suggest ways that social workers, administrators, and supervisors can improve their work with home-care workers and encourage advocacy and social action on behalf of these workers.
Bartoldus
E
E
Services for the Aged, Jewish Association, Queens, NY.
Gillery
B
B
Sturges
P J
PJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D013315:Stress, Psychological