Affiliations: Laboratoire Techniques, Territoires et
Sociétés, Unité mixte de recherche CNRS 8134, University
of Paris-Est, Paris, France | Centre en Etudes Genre LIEGE, University of Lausanne,
Switzerland
Abstract: Objective: Like most Western countries, France is faced with rapid
changes in how social welfare and care regimes are being organized. Home care
for the elderly has been closely affected by such trends. This study will
analyse the consequences of such developments on work schedules and working
conditions of female home care workers. Methods: We carried out 55 biographical interviews with experienced
female home care workers employed by six associations as well as 13 interviews
with representatives of those associations. Results: The findings reveal an increase in time pressure linked to
a reduction in care time per care recipient as well as the fragmentation of
care work. These conditions negatively affect the provision of quality care as
well as care workers' physical and mental well-being and blur the distinction
between workers' professional and home lives. Conclusions: The negative impacts observed call for a change in
perspective in relation to how home care work for fragile, elderly people is
organized. Our research bears out the necessity of drawing on the experience of
the most highly-qualified care workers and entrusting them with the autonomy
needed to manage the care time allotted to each care recipient.
Keywords: Home paid care, time constraints, work organization, occupational health, work-life balance, gendered division of work
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2011-1266
Journal: Work, vol. 40, no. Supplement 1, pp. 31-46, 2011
