Behind the Frontlines: Insights for Supporting Mental Health and Staff Retention in the Long-Term Care Workforce

Background/Objectives: Canada's long-term care (LTC) sector is struggling with a significant staffing crisis related to shortages, high-turnover rate, and challenging working conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues and emphasized the need for improved mental health support for LTC staff. Understanding and addressing the wellbeing of staff is important for ensuring quality of care and promoting a positive work environment for a healthy workforce. This study explored staff experiences in Canadian LTC homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers staff-driven recommendations to support staff mental health and retention moving forward. Methods: We applied the Collaborative Action Research (CAR) methodology to explore practical strategies with LTC staff to inform actions for change. Sixteen staff members working in two large urban Canadian LTC homes were interviewed using remote videoconferencing and phone calls to conduct one-on-one interviews. Thematic analysis was performed. Results: Our analysis identified four themes: depletion, lack of support, providing resources and sense of community. The SUPPORT framework was created based on staff recommendations to improve LTC staff mental health and retention. Conclusions: Urgent attention is needed to support the LTC workforce through practice change and improved policy. The implementation of comprehensive frameworks such as SUPPORT can play a pivotal role in fostering staff resilience, enhancing job satisfaction, and promoting a healthy workforce for aged care.