Purpose: The study's goals were to understand what changes in management practices would most improve the jobs of frontline workers from the perspective of workers themselves and to analyze differences across settings. Design and Methods: The baseline survey of direct care workers (N = 3,468) conducted as part of the National Study of the Better…

Purpose: Although caregivers desire specific information about hospice programs, there is little descriptive information available. We characterized agencies that provide formal or informal hospice care in the United States according to four types of services considered important by caregivers: medications and treatments; rehabilitative care;…

Examined seven basis types of formal home care service providers in California, licensed and unlicensed, delivered by agencies and by individual providers. Found primary differences based on sources of payment, duration of care, supervision of personnel, and state regulation. Research has not determined differences in quality, access, and costs of…

Purpose: This research applies a stress and support conceptual model to investigate the effects of background characteristics, personal and job-related stressors, and workplace support on direct care workers' (DCW) job satisfaction. Design and Methods: Researchers collected survey data from 644 DCWs in 49 long-term care (LTC) organizations. The…

Notes that community-based care for chronic illness requires continuum of care. Identifies three aspects of organization of long-term care that are important in maintaining continuum: availability, accessibility, and acceptability. Illustrates each category by data from Missouri to demonstrate potential problems in each of three areas that can…

Compared the informal and formal caregiving of 269 functionally impaired elderly people residing on 53 Israeli kibbutzim. Results agreed with those from earlier studies which suggested that the availability of formal resources was not accompanied by withdrawal of informal supports. (Author/BHK)

Compared data from family caregivers who participated in support and education groups and caregivers who enrolled but did not participate. Found care receivers of participants had statistically significantly lower institutionalization rates than did care receivers of non-participants. Savings from deterred nursing home use more than offset program…

Describes Homebound Learning Opportunities, innovative health promotion and educational outreach service for homebound older adults and their caregivers. Notes that program provides over 125 topics for individualized learning programs delivered to participants in homes, audiovisual lending library, educational television programing, and peer…