Enjoying Work or Burdened by it? How Personal Assistants Experience and Handle Stress at Work

Abstract

A personal assistant has to promote equality in living conditions for persons with severe disabilities. The aim was to explore how personal assistants experience their work and what strategies they employ to alleviate work-related stress. Thirty personal assistants were interviewed and latent content analysis was performed. The findings regarding the experiences of work-related stress could be brought together under the theme of ‗Difficulties of being in a subordinate position', whilst those regarding management strategies could be brought together under the theme of ‗Coming to terms with the work situation'. There is a need of empowering personal assistants through training programmes including tailored education, working communities and coaching.

Personal care assistants' experiences of caring for people on home mechanical ventilation

“…Their work environment was complex, regarding both caring activities and ethical demands. Although the PCAs' work is so crucial for people in need of technological support, there is a lack of research from their perspective which influences the development of educational programme for PCAs negatively . What was striking in our study was the physical and emotional closeness the PCA and HMV user, and in some cases the family, shared.…”

“…The organising of PCAs' responsibilities vary across countries but there is international consensus that more knowledge within this area is needed . There are no formal competence requirements for PCAs working with HMV‐assisted persons in Sweden even though they are responsible for a life‐supporting home ventilator and the HMV user's everyday care and safety.…”

“…The largest employers of PCAs in Sweden are the municipalities but there are also private companies . Although personal care assistance is a relatively new area of research, it is known that difficulties may arise that do not occur in a similar way in other care occupations . It is an intimate work situation characterised by the PCA's constant presence in the recipient's life .…”

“…When a professional enters another person's private life, there may be difficulties establishing boundaries, in terms of work and leisure, friendship and a professional relationship . Tensions may arise because the recipient's dwelling is both a home and a workplace .…”

Effects of Support on Evacuation Preparedness of Persons with Disabilities

“…Although personal assistants generally find their jobs to be meaningful, many personal assistants express the desire for more contact with other helping professionals. These assistants also express a desire for more training, perhaps through continuing education seminars and in-services training (Ahlström & Wadensten, 2012). Personal assistants could be trained or coached by social workers in the general duties of their jobs, and they could also receive further training in disaster readiness including evacuation preparedness.…”