Psychological well-being and social support among elders employed as lay helpers.
Impacts on lay helpers of participation in part-time work supporting rural elders with severe mental illness were explored in a group of 17 older adults employed in a demonstration project. Self-rated well-being and social support were assessed over 1 year. Ratings of autonomy and positive relations with others varied over 1 year. Perceptions of the amount of social support provided showed a trend toward improvement at 1 year. Results are considered in the context of role theory and illustrated with an ethnographic case study of the service environment. The lay helper role is a form of productive engagement through paid caregiving, with potential to supplement rural mental health service systems while supporting elders' needs for meaningful civic engagement.
Gammonley
Denise
D
School of Social Work, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA. dgammonl@mail.ucf.edu
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000523:psychology*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012944:Social Support