13. Caring for Home Care Workers in Nigeria

There’s no place like home when it comes to comfort, health, and healing. Home care lets people with illnesses or disabilities live where they feel most comfortable. And it's a whole world of care delivered by an essential workforce that is vital to our health systems, but one that often operates in the shadows. Reliance on home care is growing, with a move away from nursing homes towards care in the community. Chika Odioemene tells us about her experience in training and supporting home care workers in Nigeria and how this growing workforce alleviates healthcare worker shortages.References:Reckrey JM, Russell D, Fong M, et al. Home Care Worker Continuity in Home-Based Long-Term Care: Associated Factors and Relationships With Client Health and Well-Being. Innov Aging. 2024;8:igae024.Sterling MR, Tseng E, Poon A, et al. Experiences of Home Health Care Workers in New York City During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic A Qualitative Analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(11):1453-1459.Chase JD, Russell D, Rice M, Abbott C, Bowles KH, Mehr DR. Caregivers’ Perceptions Managing Functional Needs among Older Adults Receiving Post-Acute Home Health Care. Res Gerontol Nurs. 2019;12(4):174-183.Christian BN. Transforming family caregiving: professionalising unpaid care work for sustainable development. Public Health Action. 2024;14(1):40-41.In-Home Caregiver Duties and Tasks. Arkansas Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Published January 6, 2025. https://agingarkansas.org/in-home-caregiver-duties-and-tasks/Stone RI, Bryant NS. The Future of the Home Care Workforce: Training and Supporting Aides as Members of Home-Based Care Teams. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2019;67(S2):S444-S448.Gazzaroli D, D’Angelo C, Corvino C. Home-Care Workers’ Representations of Their Role and Competences: A Diaphanous Profession. Front Psychol. 2020;11:581399.