“I haven’t really gone through things like this”: Young long-term care workers’ experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Long-term care (LTC) facilities were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Using life course theory concepts, we looked for conditions that led to worker moral distress –i.e. pain or anguish over not being able to take right action - and how life stage may influence experiences. OBJECTIVE: To illuminate the experiences of adults under the age of 30 who stepped into, and/or persevered in, working in LTC during the pandemic, recognizing that this emerging workforce represents the future of LTC in Canada. METHODS: This secondary analysis uses interview data from a sub-sample of 16 young workers between 18 and 29 years of age who had been working in Canadian LTC facilities for between 8 months and 7 years. RESULTS: Young workers expressed feeling guilt about mourning the loss of socially significant milestones as these milestones paled by comparison to the loss of life and consequences of resident isolation they witnessed at work. To manage feelings of moral distress, young workers attempted to maintain high standards of care for LTC residents and engaged in self-care activities. For some workers, this was insufficient and leaving the field of LTC was their strategy to respond to their mental health needs. CONCLUSION: The life stage of young LTC workers influenced their experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions are needed to support young workers’ wellbeing and job retention.