Factors related to frustration among aging services case managers

Although researchers have studied burnout as a condition that can affect the ability to effectively serve clients, little has been written about frustration as a potential contributor to burnout. This study examines factors associated with frustration among case managers who work in aging services. A model of individual, organizational, and community factors that may relate to job frustrations is developed. Data from a sample of 103 case managers are analyzed, with type of job frustration categorized as agency-based (internal to the agency) or community-based (external to the agency). Community-based frustrations were cited by 78% of respondents; moreover, these were related to geographic regions in the state, with case managers in rural regions identifying these significantly more often than those in urban regions. The study indicates a need to attend to the lack of resources available in the environments in which case managers work as a potential source of frustration, especially in rural communities.