With the adoption of a National Strategy for Long-Term Care in 2014, Bulgaria is taking measures to deinstitutionalize care for people with permanent disabilities and the elderly. Care in specialized institutions has as an alternative home care provided by a personal and social assistant. The aim of this paper is to identify the risks to which these employees are exposed. Data were collected by direct individual self-administered questionnaire among 91 personal and 56 social officially employed assistants. 11 most common risks in caring for people with disabilities were examined. The largest share of personal assistants (79.12%) assess the risk of emotional exhaustion as the highest, followed by the risk of death of the user of care (57.14%). Results can be explained by the facts that almost 3/4 of personal assistants are in family relations to the person dependent on care. They spend usually 24 hours with the user, which loads them emotionally. In the group of social assistants 62.5% put at first place the risk of mental exhaustion. Risk of deterioration of the user's health and burnout because of emotional burden of this profession pointed of about 41. 07% of the respondents. Both compared groups consider heavy physical exertion as one of the most important risk of their work. Data analysis shows that profession of personal and social assistant for people with disability exposes them to risks affecting their physical, mental and social wellbeing. Preventive measures for restriction of these risks must be provided.

Authors:
Stela Georgieva, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria
Veronika Spasova, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria
Mariela Kamburova, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria
Dima Tsanova, Medical University - Pleven, Bulgaria

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Stela Lyudmilova Georgieva is currently an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Public health and a Head of Career Development Centre of Medical University – Pleven, Bulgaria.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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