Predictors of Migrant Live-in Care Workers' Burden/Burnout and Job Satisfaction When Caring for Frail Older Persons in Israel

Objectives: To clarify how work characteristics affect migrant live-in care workers' burden/burnout as well as their job satisfaction. Methods: Data from 116 migrant live-in care workers were collected in 2013-2014 in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem through structured interviews about their job satisfaction and their degree of burden/burnout. Due to the conceptual and empirical similarity (zero-order correlation and joint internal reliability), of burden and burnout, the 2 were combined into one variable. These outcome measures were examined in connection with the older person's level of disability, care workers' relationship with the older person, and their employment conditions. Results: According to the regression models, work characteristics (care recipients' functional status and care workers' relationship with the care recipient) had a direct impact on burden/burnout. Employment-related variables (employment conditions and satisfaction with those conditions) had an indirect effect. A combination of work characteristics (relationship with the older person) together with the care worker's response to employment conditions (satisfaction with employment conditions) had a direct influence on the care workers' job satisfaction. Problematic employment conditions had an indirect effect. Discussion: The results suggest that fostering better relationships and improving employment conditions could help reduce care workers' burden/burnout as well as improve their degree of satisfaction.