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Home Care - 5.12 Caring for the carers
5.12 Caring for the carers
Providing professional home-based care is undoubtedly a stressful occupation. It takes great resilience to deal on a daily basis with PLHA, many of whom are chronically ill, some suffering from depression, and some requiring terminal care. Furthermore, expanding numbers of PLHA and increasing expectations for care, support and welfare can only add to stress levels within the HCTs.
Focus group discussions with the HCTs revealed the perceived need for increased skills in stress management, both for PLHA but also for the HCTs themselves. All of the HCTs also indicated the need for increased and improved supervision and support.
Many of the HCTs raised concerns about health and safety at work. In order to address these, and other issues related to better support for the HCTs, the evaluation offers the following suggestions and recommendations:
It is recommended that the HCNG addresses the concerns of HCTs related to health and safety at work.
Providing professional home-based care is undoubtedly a stressful occupation. It takes great resilience to deal on a daily basis with PLHA, many of whom are chronically ill, some suffering from depression, and some requiring terminal care. Furthermore, expanding numbers of PLHA and increasing expectations for care, support and welfare can only add to stress levels within the HCTs.
Focus group discussions with the HCTs revealed the perceived need for increased skills in stress management, both for PLHA but also for the HCTs themselves. All of the HCTs also indicated the need for increased and improved supervision and support.
Many of the HCTs raised concerns about health and safety at work. In order to address these, and other issues related to better support for the HCTs, the evaluation offers the following suggestions and recommendations:
- HCNG should provide ongoing training in stress management to all HCTs
- HCNG should provide more opportunities for regular sharing of experiences and problem solving, perhaps by bringing together clusters of 2 or 3 HCTs
- NGOs/ MOH should provide motorcycle helmets to all members of the HCTs
- HCNG should investigate costs and benefits of providing a package of basic health cover to all HCT members. (MoH staff and some NGO staff already have such cover)
It is recommended that the HCNG addresses the concerns of HCTs related to health and safety at work.