'Substance abuse' therapy could boost staff wellbeing

Motivational interviewing, a therapy commonly used to overcome addiction or substance abuse, could improve the health and wellbeing of frontline aged care workers. This is according a pilot study conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia.

The therapy can empower disengaged aged care workers to prioritise and take control of their mental and physical health, thereby boosting workplace wellbeing.

Working with an accredited exercise physiologist, frontline aged care workers received counselling and education on personal goal setting, actions and coping, as well as measures of activity intensity, as a part of the study.

After three months, the participants’ perceived autonomy in exercise increased by nearly 9% and their fitness improved as indicated by a small increase in their six-minute walk distance at the nine-month follow up. They also reported positive changes in other health behaviours such as eating better, seeking more help from health professionals for the management of health conditions, and not being so hard on themselves when they slipped up.

UniSA researcher and exercise physiologist Dr Merilyn Lock said motivational therapy could be an effective intervention to address systemic apathy among frontline aged care workers.

“There’s no doubt that Australia’s aged care sector is under pressure. We have an aging population, complex care requirements, funding issues and a shortage of qualified and skilled aged care workers,” Lock said.

“Supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of frontline aged care workers is imperative, as quality care is inextricably linked with quality jobs.

“Motivational interviewing is a personalised and empathetic counselling technique that empowers a person to explore and resolve ambivalence. It works by assuming that any change is better than nothing, and because it is goal-directed it encourages people to identify, recognise and sustain positive change.

“The workplace is a convenient means to target the health behaviour of large numbers of employees. By engaging and motivating frontline aged care workers to make positive changes to their health, we’re hoping to better support the aged care workforce and subsequently people in aged care.”

The study invited a total of 493 employees from a large, not-for-profit aged care organisation. While 41 employees initially expressed interest in the program, only 25 chose to participate, with lack of time and injury cited as the most common reasons for non-participation.

The authors suggested more research is needed to address the uptake of such interventions at organisation levels, but their study is a promising initiative to help aged care workers to take control of their own health and wellbeing.

Image credit: iStockphoto.com/Cecilie_Arcurs