# Coping Together: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Work of Home Health Care Assistants in Ireland

## TL;DR

This study explores how home health care assistants in Ireland cope with stress and challenges during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of peer support and the need for better organizational support.

## Contribution

The study reveals the critical role of informal peer communication in coping strategies among home health care assistants during the pandemic.

## Key findings

- HHCAs used informal peer communication to manage work-related stress and challenges.
- They balanced caring for others with self-care within a strained care ecosystem.
- The study emphasizes the need for organizational reform to prevent burnout and ensure quality care.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Home healthcare assistants (HHCAs) play a vital role in supporting older adults to remain in their homes. Yet, this work is often performed under conditions of emotional strain, limited resources, and systemic undervaluation. This study answers the question, how do HHCAs cope with work-related stress? Methods: Undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of heightened stress and mandated social distancing, online interviews were conducted with HHCAs (n = 10). Data were inductively analyzed and themes were identified. Results: It was found that amid experiences of fear, caregiver stress, grief, and exhaustion, HHCAs coped with resource, communication, and care challenges by relying on informal peer-managed communication systems with colleagues. Leveraging existing peer-support coping strategies, HHCAs negotiated caring for others while taking care of themselves alongside a care ecosystem under unprecedented strain. Conclusions: HHCAs are increasingly vital to front-line home health care amid global aging and a shift toward community-based services. Urgent organizational reform is needed to support their well-being, prevent stress, and avoid burnout. Research-informed sector-wide planning must ensure adequate resources to maintain high-quality home care in the face of rising demand and anticipated future health crises.