One in four frontline workers in senior living and care report that their current physical health is affected negatively by adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, according to a new report.
And the effects on mental health are even more pronounced, with half of such workers reporting negative effects from ACEs on their current mental health.
The findings are part of “The Influence of Mental Health and Personal Wellbeing in the Workplace,” the second of three installments to a report called “KARE’s Trauma and Resilience Report,” from KARE, a digital labor marketplace for senior living and post-acute, in collaboration with the National Association of Health Care Assistants.
The study, outlined in a press release, reveals significant challenges affecting the “careforce,” a term KARE uses to describe frontline senior living and post-acute care staff members. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated issues, according to the report, with almost half of the careforce reporting its effects on their mental and physical health.
Jean Hartnett, a trauma-informed care expert, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased awareness of mental health issues in the workplace. The study, she said, “provides organizations with data and a greater understanding of the challenges their staff faces in building a more positive workplace well-being.”
In the area of workplace well-being, the study found that only 41% of nurses reported feeling psychologically safe in their workplace, and a mere 50% of registered nurses agreed with a statement that they could be their true and authentic selves at work.
Katie Rhone, KARE’s senior vice president of HERO and employee experience, said that the report “gives communities a better understanding of what their workforce may be dealing with privately, allowing the community to make changes that clearly make a positive impact on their culture and retention.”
The report aims to provide insights to help organizations better comprehend and support their frontline workers, potentially indicating a need for supportive benefit structures that address mental health requirements specific to the long-term care industry.
Read about part one of the study here.
