SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PARAPROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS OF ELDERS

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUPPORT PROGRAM TO REDUCE EXPENSIVE ANDDISRUPTIVE TURNOVER, ABSENTEEISM, AND STRESS AMONG NURSING HOME AIDES IS MOTIVATED BY AT LEAST FOUR ISSUES: (1) THE GROWING PROBLEM OF WORKER SHORTAGE IN THE LONG-TERM CARE INDUSTRY, (2) THE INCREASING CONCERN ABOUT COSTS OF STAFF TURNOVER IN NURSING HOMES, (3) THE SPECULATED LINK BETWEEN STAFF TURNOVER AND QUALITY OF CARE, AND (4) EMERGING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE REGARDING THE EFFICACY OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN REDUCING JOB-RELATED STRESS AND POTENTIALLY REDUCING STAFF TURNOVER. THE PRIMARY AIMS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, AND EVALUATE A SUPPORT GROUP PROGRAM FOR NURSING HOME AIDES. PHASE I ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC DESIGNOF THE PROGRAM, BASED ON AVAILABLE DATA BOTH PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED AND SUPPLEMENTED BY INTERVIEWS WITH NURSING HOMESTAFF (ADMINISTRATORS, DIRECTORS OF NURSING, NURSES' AIDES) AND REPRESENTATIVES OF KEY TRADE ORGANIZATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS. IN PHASE II, A RANDOMIZED FIELD TRIAL OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE CONDUCTED IN MASSACHUSETTS TO TEST ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING TURNOVER, ABSENTEEISM, AND STRESS. THE PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL BE A PROGRAM MODEL (STRUCTURE AND CONTENT) WITH ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONAL MANUALS FOR DISSEMINATION TO, AND IMPLEMENTATION BY, NURSING HOMES NATIONWIDE.