Home care in Massachusetts

From the Frontlines: Home care workers voice COVID-19 challenges and ideas for change

Well over 100,000 home care workers provide services to Massachusetts residents, easing the burden on hospitals and nursing homes at a critical time during the pandemic. They serve a population that is particularly vulnerable to severe illness and death from the coronavirus and workers themselves are often members of communities with high rates of COVID-19.

A new report outlines key themes from focus group research with over 80 home health aides, personal care attendants (PCAs) and other members of the Massachusetts home care workforce. Participants described many challenges to safety and offered ideas for improvement that could add stability to this vital sector of the health care continuum well beyond the pandemic.

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Nearly 1-in-3 said they have considered leaving home care work because of the pandemic.

In a single day, home care workers often travel between private houses and apartments, assisted living residences and nursing homes, raising both their own risk of contracting COVID-19 and the risk that they could spread it to the people they care for.

Home care workers described ongoing stress caused by the need to make decisions with limited information and resources.

Home care work often involves close personal contact, but many participants said they rely upon cloth masks and describe inadequate training on the proper use of PPE.

Low compensation and job security concerns have safety implications.

Focus group participants acknowledged that financial pressures and lack of clarity about paid leave policies had or might lead them or their colleagues to consider going to work even after a possible exposure to COVID-19.

Despite the risks, home care workers remain dedicated to providing safe and compassionate care.

Home care workers are acutely aware that of the people they care for are highly dependent on the services they offer, making it difficult to always follow safety recommendations.

Survey findings

The first report in this two-part series was released in December 2020. It includes results from a survey of Massachusetts home care agencies, conducted in partnership with The Safe Home Care Project at UMass Lowell.

Read the report

Your guide to wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

A home care worker from Massachusetts shows you how to safely put on and take off PPE in this video, part of a toolkit to help workers stay safe during the pandemic.

Learn more