title: In-home respite care: a comparison of volunteers and paid workers.
abstract: Descriptive data using an administered questionnaire were obtained from fifteen in-home respite volunteers and from fifteen paid in-home respite workers. From each group, five volunteers and five paid workers and the families they served, were interviewed in depth. Independent t tests showed volunteers to be older, have more education, spend less time in respite and more time in the confidant role than paid workers. Volunteers were characterized as a family surrogate motivated by altruistic and substitutive needs. They were shown to be reliable, competent, creative, and nurturant. Paid workers were found to be motivated by a liking for people and financial need. Though their services were also shown to be reliable, competent and nurturant, paid workers were characterized more as an extension of the family care-giver.
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico College of Nursing.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009516:New Mexico; D012144:Respite Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000078329:Workforce