BURNOUT AND NEED FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL STAFF TRAINING AND SUPERVISION FOR NURSING-HOME STAFF IN CARE OF THE AGED

255 staff persons in the inpatient care for elderly (mainly nursing home staff, nurses and assisting personal) were included in a multicenter questionnaire study. Main strain was reported as time pressure at work (59%), followed by organisational deficits (22%) and compassion with the suffering of some inhabitants. The analysis of influencing factors yielded only a few results, job- and occupation-related factors might increase the risk of getting ''burned out'' (especially qualification and responsibility taken), as well as younger age. Two risk groups with respect to ''burnout'' were identified by cluster analysis: a bigger group (47%) of younger staff, markedly strained, but also highly skilled and motivated (''burnout-endangered'' group), and a smaller group (8 %) with high strain and low job satisfaction (''burnout-group''). More than half confirmed that psychosocial staff training and supervision is important and necessary and should mainly deal with problems of team interaction and ways of emotional relieve. Training units of 90 minutes once a month was the mode mostly favoured. Main issues were aspects of interaction with problematic elderlies (especially with depressive or aggressive persons) as well as dealing with death and dying.