Abstract
Because of the gradual aging of the population, hospital facilities for socio-sanitary care of the elderly are quite scarce relative to the very high number of elderly people present in the country. This has pushed a high number of families to privately hire home-care workers. The scientific literature gives a picture of the psycho-physical risks that this type of profession is exposed to; however, there is still a need for a more systemic reflection with regard to representations about their role and competences. The aim of the present study is to outline the representations of the role and the skills it requires from home-care workers’ point of view. We reconstructed how home-care workers perceive and define the profession, and understand the necessary skills required from their point of view. Our results show that the professional profile of home-care workers still remains poorly defined and that professionals themselves struggle to find value and recognition, and to articulate what the skill set they develop is formed of.
Highlights
In parallel with the gradual aging of the population, professions dedicated to the care of the elderly will see stronger demand in the labor market, as they are crucial to handling this challenge (Hall and Coyte, 2001; McClimont et al, 2004; Broese van Groenou et al, 2006; Stone and Dawson, 2008; Gozzoli and Frascaroli, 2012; Scaratti et al, 2014, 2017; Bjerregaard et al, 2015; Gozzoli et al, 2018)
Among the regular forms of elderly care, despite the fact that there are different systems and governance depending on the region, care of the elderly can be handled on a regional level by non-profit
A first theme in the role’s representation is linked to a significant gap between the effective measure of value of this profession and the recognized value given to it. This gap is associated with “Invisible Welfare” and support for families, and with making sense and meaning for whoever carries out this job
Summary
In parallel with the gradual aging of the population, professions dedicated to the care of the elderly will see stronger demand in the labor market, as they are crucial to handling this challenge (Hall and Coyte, 2001; McClimont et al, 2004; Broese van Groenou et al, 2006; Stone and Dawson, 2008; Gozzoli and Frascaroli, 2012; Scaratti et al, 2014, 2017; Bjerregaard et al, 2015; Gozzoli et al, 2018). The progressive increase in the size of the elderly population will be of particular and crucial interest for all countries in the EU, and this is especially true for Italy. Among the regular forms of elderly care, despite the fact that there are different systems and governance depending on the region, care of the elderly can be handled on a regional level by non-profit
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