Prevalence and Predictors of Burnout Among Adult Day Care Providers

Examination of the extent to which paid care providers in adult day care (ADC) experience burnout and the relationship between employees' perceptions of their work environment and burnout found Hierarchical regression indicated that work environment measures were significant correlates of each of the three aspects of burnout.

Abstract

Over the past decade, an extensive research literature has focused on stress, burden, and coping among family caregivers to improve the quality of care to dependent elders. Although a better understanding of the prevalence and predictors of burnout among formal service providers could be expected to produce similar benefits, little is known about stress and burnout among paid caregivers. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which paid care providers in adult day care (ADC) experience burnout and to examine the relationship between employees' perceptions of their work environment and burnout. Participants (N = 102) were staff from a random sample of ADC centers in California. Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, burnout was found to be low for the depersonalization and personal achievement aspects and moderate for emotional exhaustion. Hierarchical regression indicated that after controlling for demographic differences and daily hassles, work environment measures were significant correlates of each of the three aspects of burnout. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for organizational-level work design issues and macrolevel policy decisions.