Photo Credit: Bogdan Stanojevic
The following is a summary of “Nobody Seemed to Notice My Work”: The Lived Experiences of Home Care Workers Assisting People with Chronic Diseases: A Phenomenological Study,” published in the January 2025 issue of Journal of Primary Care & Community Health by Cacciapuoti et al.
Home care workers (HCWs) assist patients with chronic conditions and provide emotional and familial support. Previous studies focused on workplace violence, stress, resilience, and specific conditions, neglecting feelings and working conditions.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to explore the lived experiences of home care workers (HCWs) supporting patients with chronic conditions.
They used Cohen’s phenomenological methodology for the study. Subjects were enrolled from several cities in Central Italy and interviewed with open questions about their lived experiences as HCWs for patients with chronic diseases. Each interview was audio-recorded and lasted between 20 and 60 minutes. Researchers independently immersed themselves in the data by reading and rereading the transcripts. The themes were extrapolated, and individual researchers compared the various themes.
The results showed that 17 HCWs, all women with a mean age of 54 years, were enrolled. They had 4 to 26 years of experience, with most living with the person they assisted. About 3 themes emerged: feeling inadequate as a nurse, feeling valued, and uncertain future. HCWs identified lack of training, language difficulties, and future uncertainty as key issues.
Investigators identified HCWs as a valuable resource whose proper training could enhance the elderly’s quality of life and support families, suggesting interventions to inform political decision-makers.
Source: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21501319241276805
