Residential care for older people: job satisfaction and psychological health in care staff

Staff in local authority residential homes for older people care for dependent and demanding residents. Recent research has linked resident aggression to psychological disturbance in these staff. Despite this, little is known about the experiences of staff, many of whom are facing significant changes in the residents they care for. This paper examines psychological well-being, perceptions of the work environment and job satisfaction in 48 members of staff from two local authority homes. Results indicate that these staff experience equivalent stress to professional nurses in an NHS setting. Moderate levels of emotional exhaustion are associated with poor clarity about the job they are now required to perform. There is also a poor sense of personal accomplishment. Differences in the needs of staff, and the implications for staff development programs within individual homes are discussed. Given reports of high illness figures for care staff in public sector homes for older people, we argue that carefully targeted staff development programs have the potential for reducing burnout and days lost through illness. Such programs can also improve ‘therapeutic reciprocity’ which in turn might enhance psychological well-being in care staff, and the quality of life for residents.