Britt O'Keefe, Eva Yuen, Susan Perlen, Alison M Hutchinson
{"title":"Strategies and Supports to Improve Retention of Personal Care Workers in Residential Aged Care: Insights From a Qualitative Study.","authors":"Britt O'Keefe, Eva Yuen, Susan Perlen, Alison M Hutchinson","doi":"10.1177/01640275251383540","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To identify strategies and supports to enhance retention and reduce turnover of personal care workers in residential aged care. Interviews were conducted from August 2023 to September 2024 with 20 former personal care workers who had worked in residential aged care. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five major themes were identified: (1) managers who engage with residents, (2) managers who value, recognize and support personal support workers, (3) comprehensive onboarding and continuing training programs, (4) strengthening the workforce and working arrangements, and (5) inclusive, collaborative and respectful work culture. Persistent workforce shortages in residential aged care underscore the need for targeted strategies and supports to retain staff. The findings of this study illustrate strategies and supports to promote personal care worker retention, offering practical guidance for further consideration by residential aged care operators, policymakers, and researchers.</p>","PeriodicalId":47983,"journal":{"name":"Research on Aging","volume":" ","pages":"1640275251383540"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Research on Aging","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/01640275251383540","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
To identify strategies and supports to enhance retention and reduce turnover of personal care workers in residential aged care. Interviews were conducted from August 2023 to September 2024 with 20 former personal care workers who had worked in residential aged care. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five major themes were identified: (1) managers who engage with residents, (2) managers who value, recognize and support personal support workers, (3) comprehensive onboarding and continuing training programs, (4) strengthening the workforce and working arrangements, and (5) inclusive, collaborative and respectful work culture. Persistent workforce shortages in residential aged care underscore the need for targeted strategies and supports to retain staff. The findings of this study illustrate strategies and supports to promote personal care worker retention, offering practical guidance for further consideration by residential aged care operators, policymakers, and researchers.
期刊介绍:
Research on Aging is an interdisciplinary journal designed to reflect the expanding role of research in the field of social gerontology. Research on Aging exists to provide for publication of research in the broad range of disciplines concerned with aging. Scholars from the disciplines of sociology, geriatrics, history, psychology, anthropology, public health, economics, political science, criminal justice, and social work are encouraged to contribute articles to the journal. Emphasis will be on materials of broad scope and cross-disciplinary interest. Assessment of the current state of knowledge is as important as provision of an outlet for new knowledge, so critical and review articles are welcomed. Systematic attention to particular topics will also be featured.