Recorded presentation

Sherry Baron¹, Laura H. Stock, MPH², Linda Ayala, MPH³, Rachele Savola⁴, and Daniel Habes¹. (1) National Institute for Occupational Safety and health, 4676 Columbia Parkway R-10, Cincinnati, OH 45226, 513 458-7159, sbaron@cdc.gov, (2) Labor Occupational Health Program, University of California at Berkeley, 2223 Fulton St., 4th floor, Berkeley, CA 94720, (3) Public Authority for IHSS of Alameda County, 6955 Foothills Blvd; Suite 300, Oakland, CA 94605, (4) Service Employees International Union, 337 17th St., Oakland, CA 94612

The growth in the elderly and disabled populations has increased the need for homecare services and created a demand for innovations to improve their quality of life. One example is the consumer-directed model of homecare which transfers responsibility for selecting, training, and directing homecare workers to the consumer rather than the traditional, sometimes impersonal, homecare agencies. Although, this model may increase the recipients’ ability to control their home life, it raises important questions regarding the responsibility for assuring that the homecare worker has the necessary equipment and training to protect the workers’ and consumers’ safety. To explore these concerns, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted an evaluation in California where consumer-directed homecare services are available to low income elderly and disabled. A participatory research model was used, with collaboration by workers and their union, the Public Authority (the employer of record) and its consumer advisory board and a labor education program. The evaluation included key informant interviews, focus groups and in-home site visits. Key findings included that housekeeping tasks were as physically stressful as lifting and transfer tasks, workers lacked adequate tools and equipment, most homecare workers had little or no previous formal training and few opportunities existed for in-service training during employment, and communication barriers between workers and consumers sometimes affected safety. Following the evaluation, model training programs were developed and a joint county-consumer-labor union committee was established whose objectives included improving the safety and health of the consumers and workers.

Learning Objectives:

• • The audience should be able to identify the major challenges in evaluating the safety and health of homecare workers
• • The audience should be able to engage in dialogue about research strategies that occupational health and safety researchers can adopt to better study and develop interventions for homecare workers.

Keywords: Occupational Health Programs, Home Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation