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.