Job innovation for direct caregivers in the care of persons with mental retardation. A system of personal caregiving

Professionals in different branches of the health care sector increasingly advocate a more flexible, individually-tailored type of care. To fit in with this trend, the Job Innovation Model was developed in The Netherlands. This model involves the systematic introduction of a system of personal caregiving. The purpose of the present study, using a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design, was to evaluate the effects of the implementation of the Job Innovation Model on the work and work perception of direct caregivers in the care of persons with mental retardation. Caregivers in the experimental group were found to have adopted the principles of the Job Innovation Model to a greater extent than their colleagues in the control group, and as a result, the experimental group started to work more methodically and perceived greater clarity in their work. In addition, a trend was observed towards greater job satisfaction among caregivers as a result of the introduction of the new model. No changes were found concerning burnout.