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Care-home providers as professionals: understanding the motivations of care-home providers in England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2006

TIHANA MATOSEVIC
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, LSE Health and Social Care, London School of Economics and Political Science.
MARTIN KNAPP
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, LSE Health and Social Care, London School of Economics and Political Science.
JEREMY KENDALL
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, LSE Health and Social Care, London School of Economics and Political Science.
CATHERINE HENDERSON
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, LSE Health and Social Care, London School of Economics and Political Science.
JOSÉ-LUIS FERNANDEZ
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, LSE Health and Social Care, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Abstract

The financial and social climate in which the residential-care sector operates in the United Kingdom has changed substantially over recent years. This paper examines the underlying motivations for providing residential-care services for older people. We focus on the motivations of a sample of managers and owners of care homes drawn from eight English local authorities, and explore the intrinsic aspects of their motivations, particularly professional achievement, recognition and job satisfaction. The majority of the respondents' primary motivations were to meet the needs of older people and to accomplish professional achievements. Their caring motivations had four principal components, which were labelled professional, financial, client-specific and client-generic, and as for their professional motivations, the interviewees reported high levels of job satisfaction. The respondents were satisfied with their career choice and felt that, through their work, they were contributing to society. The study identified several personal and external factors that influenced the providers' intrinsic motivations and professional aspirations. The presented evidence suggests that if future policies are to improve the quality of care-home services, it is essential that they also incorporate the professional needs of care-home providers.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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