Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine (Jan 2024)

Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Home Care Workers: A Qualitative Study

  • Christine FitzGerald PhD,
  • Eva Moynan Bsc,
  • Catriona Lavelle Msc,
  • Cathal O’Neill QQI Level 6,
  • Katie Robinson PhD,
  • Pauline Boland PhD,
  • Pauline Meskell PhD,
  • Rose Galvin PhD

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214231222114
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

Read online

This qualitative study aimed to gain insight into the impact of COVID-19 on Home Care Workers (HCWs). During COVID-19 HCWs provided a lifeline for home care clients to support older people remaining living in their own homes. With a high-risk client base, HCWs were one of the few (Health and Social Care Professional) HSCPs to continue providing home-based care throughout COVID-19. Despite these contributions HCWs provided for aging in place during COVID-19, a paucity of research exists in relation to the challenges and impact of the pandemic on HCWs. Three in-person focus groups were conducted ( n = 23). Two main themes were produced guided by a Reflexive Thematic Analysis approach to enable the researchers to best represent the participants experiences: Challenges and concerns to the personal and private lives of HCWs and Navigating home-based complexities of HCWs workplace during COVID-19.