Home-Care-Aides Voices from the Field: Job Experiences of Personal Support Specialists—the Maine Home Care Worker Retention Study

摘要

In response to a rapidly aging population that is living longer with more chronic health needs, increased recruitment and successful retention of home care aides is essential. Insight into the job experiences of Personal Support Specialists is provided through the qualitative findings from a mixed-method mail survey (n=131). Workers described reasons why they do their jobs (feeling rewarded, valuing helping and being energized by homecare work) as well as the challenges they face providing homecare (low wages; along with a lack of benefits, respect and recognition). Both short and longer term recommendations are formulated based on workers’ narrative responses.