Recent Findings on Frontline Long-Term Care Workers: A Research Synthesis 1999-2003

The purpose of the synthesis paper is to review, summarize, and discuss the significance of available research findings on the frontline long-term care (LTC) workforce since 1999, in both home and community-based and nursing home settings. This paper provides an updated review of the status of empirical findings, focusing on what has been learned between 1999 and 2003. The primary goal is to learn what initiatives have worked to reduce LTC direct care workforce recruitment and retention problems. A secondary goal is to provide empirically-based insights on the factors that contribute to recruitment and retention problems. This paper is intended to help policymakers, providers, worker and consumer groups, and researchers create a framework for future evidence-based policy, practice, and applied research initiatives to address LTC direct care workforce shortages. [36 PDF pages]