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Examining satisfaction with live-in foreign home care in Israel from the perspectives of care recipients, their family members, and their foreign home care workers
- Author:
- AYALON Liat
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 15(3), April 2011, pp.376-384.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Live-in foreign home care for older adults is common in Israel; approximately 68% of older adults who are eligible for governmental financial assistance due to disability have a live-in foreign home care worker. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction levels of all parties involved in this caregiving arrangement: older care recipients, their family members, and their foreign home care workers. A matched cross-sectional sample of 148 family members and foreign home care workers and 90 older care recipients completed a satisfaction survey. The results demonstrate that the foreign home care workers' satisfaction was directly associated with family members' and care recipients' satisfaction. In addition, the well-being of older care recipients and foreign home care workers was directly associated with their satisfaction with this arrangement. There was an inverse association between care recipients' cognitive functioning and family members' satisfaction. The study demonstrates the complex associations between the various stakeholders involved in this caregiving arrangement. The article suggests that better working conditions are likely to result in improved satisfaction with services of all parties involved.
Running between the raindrops: the obligation dilemma of the social worker in the nursing home
- Authors:
- LEV Sagit, AYALON Liat
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Work, 40(1), 2015, pp.10-18.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The authors examined perspectives of social workers working in nursing homes concerning their obligation to the older adult, the family, and the facility, and identified the dilemmas and difficulties that arise from these sometimes conflicting obligations. Authors conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with 15 social workers employed in nursing homes in Israel. Inter-theme consistencies and contradictions were elucidated, and descriptive and then interpretive categories were created to represent interview data. Social workers acknowledged their multiple, often contradictory loyalties to the older resident, the management of the institution, the staff, and the resident's family. The obligation dilemma was particularly evident in relocation decisions and suspected cases of elder abuse. The findings highlight the importance of the obligation dilemma in the work experience of social workers. Potential implications for the care provided to older adults in nursing homes are discussed. (Publisher abstract)
Family and family-like interactions in households with round-the-clock paid foreign carers in Israel
- Author:
- AYALON Liat
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 29(5), July 2009, pp.671-686.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This paper reports a study of family and family-like interactions and transfers, or exchanges of goods and resources, between paid, round-the-clock, Filipino home carers and those they care for in a sample of households in Israel. Qualitative interviews about their experiences and attitudes concerning the care role were conducted with 22 family members and 29 Filipino home-care workers. A thematic analysis of the interview data identified three major themes: the structure and internal dynamics of the adapted family or family-like system of care; the role of family members; and the role of Filipino home-care workers in the new system of care. Sons and daughters tended to appropriate the care-management positions and to reduce their social and emotional support for the care recipient. In contrast, spouse care-givers continued to provide some of the personal and emotional care even when a Filipino home-care worker was employed. Filipino home-care workers were made responsible for daily care and domestic routines and provided emotional and social care. It was found that family members do not relinquish their role as care-givers when round-the-clock foreign carers are on hand, but the nature of their role changes. The results suggest that foreign home-care workers' job description needs to be redefined to acknowledge the substantial social and emotional care that they provide.
Using mixed methods to evaluate the use of a caregiver strain measure to assess outcomes of a caregiver support program for caregivers of older adults
- Authors:
- HYUCK Magaret Hellie, AYALON Liat, YODER Judy
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(2), February 2007, pp.160-165.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Many assessment tools have been developed for evaluating caregiving programs, but the majority are too cumbersome for ongoing use. This study reports on a brief assessment tool used to monitor strain among family members caring for an impaired elder. Participants were enrolled in the SeniorCare program, a program funded by the Administration on Aging to provide care to family caregivers. The Caregiver Risk Screen (CRS) is a 12-item measure of strain, initially developed as part of an in-home assessment procedure. Its utility for use in practice settings over time was assessed using both quantitative and qualitative methodology. Chronbach alpha levels for the CRS were 0.85 at intake and 0.84 at first follow-up. At the first follow-up, the overall index score and five of the 12 items showed statistically significant lessened strain. In subsequent follow-up evaluations, the average improvements were maintained but there was no additional decrease in strain. Individual variations in changes over time were identified by combining quantitative and qualitative information. Themes that emerged in qualitative data served to modify the measure for future use. The brief Caregiver Risk Screen tool appears to be a reliable and valid tool for use in practice settings. It is acceptable to clients and professional staff. Modifications have been made that may further enhance the suitability of this measure for other settings.