Reflections from the “Forgotten Front Line”: A qualitative study of factors affecting wellbeing among long-term care workers in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic
Frontline care providers in long-term care facilities experienced substantial stress, anxiety, and trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The primary reported contributors to poor staff mental health and morale during the pandemic included the toll of the virus on residents and staff members and their families; balancing home and work-life; and stressful workplace conditions.
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Major perceived workplace stressors were inadequate administrative support, higher workloads, and safety conditions.
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Recommendations to improve staff wellbeing and morale included improved support and demonstrated appreciation from facility leadership; and explicit facility-level changes to improve working conditions.
Abstract
While long-term care (LTC)1 facilities serving older adults have long struggled with low employee morale and high rates of staff turnover, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to these facilities and the frontline staff working in them. This study aimed to explore factors that influenced the personal and professional wellbeing of care providers working in LTC facilities across New York City (NYC) during the pandemic. Fourteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with frontline care providers working in LTC facilities across NYC. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and systematically coded according to both pre-existing and emergent topics. Four main themes emerged from the data: the toll of the virus; home and work-life balance stressors; workplace stressors; and participants’ recommendations for facility leadership. Findings from this study may inform strategies for supporting the wellbeing of frontline care providers in LTC environments, especially during future public health emergencies.
