Abstract
Home care aides (HCAs), predominantly women, constitute one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. HCAs work in clients’ homes that lack typical workplace resources and benefits. This mixed-methods study examined how HCAs’ work environment was transformed by a pilot workplace health promotion program that targeted clients as well as workers. The intervention started with training HCAs to deliver a gentle physical activity program to their older clients in a Medicaid-funded home care program. Older HCAs aged 50+ reported increased time doing the types of physical activity that they delivered to their clients (stretching or strengthening exercise) (p = 0.027). Almost all (98%) HCAs were satisfied with the program. These quantitative results were corroborated by qualitative data from open-ended survey questions and focus groups. HCAs described how they exercised with clients and how the psychosocial work environment changed with the program. Building physical activity into HCAs’ job is feasible and can effectively promote HCAs’ health, especially among older HCAs.
Highlights
Home care aides (HCAs) are non-medical paid caregivers who provide long-term services and support, such as routine housekeeping and personal care services
Like many other care workers who directly interact with their clients, HCAs face high levels of stress and occupational health risks in their work environment [4,5] intertwined with stress experienced in their personal lives with challenging socioeconomic and community contexts [6,7,8]
This study demonstrated that building health promotion into the work of HCAs was feasible and effective in promoting physical activity in HCAs, especially among older HCAs
Summary
Home care aides (HCAs) are non-medical paid caregivers who provide long-term services and support, such as routine housekeeping (e.g., laundry, grocery shopping, preparing meals) and personal care services (e.g., bathing, dressing). HCAs are similar to many other front-line service sector workers: HCAs receive limited workplace benefits such as work-site wellness programs and lack their own resources (e.g., time, money, opportunities) to make the best use of evidence-based health care and prevention strategies [2,3]. Like many other care workers who directly interact with their clients, HCAs face high levels of stress and occupational health risks (musculoskeletal injuries, exposures to needles and chemicals such as cleaning supplies, verbal and physical abuse) in their work environment [4,5] intertwined with stress experienced in their personal lives with challenging socioeconomic and community contexts [6,7,8]. HCAs often work in isolation without direct supervision or peers in their workplace.
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