The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Frontline Workers of Toronto Homeless Shelters (CSWs)

The objective of this phenomenological research is to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of the client service workers (CSWs) in Toronto homeless shelters. Kolcaba's theory of comfort guides this study. This theory holds that being comfortable is one of the fundamental necessities for relief after stressful health care events or incidents. Comfort boosts health-seeking behaviors for patients, clients, and workers. In the context of the City of Toronto’s homeless shelters, Kolcaba’s theory of comfort suggests that if client service workers are given adequate resources to balance their health and mental needs, thus stabilizing their comfortabilities, then their job satisfaction would improve quickly. This in turn would increase productivity and enhance customer service. The second theory guiding this study is Orem’s Care-deficit theory. This study involves eight participant CSWs, four men and four women, working in the city of Toronto homeless shelters. They answer 21 semi-structured interview questions. The study finds that strict measures like mandatory PPE, vaccination, social distancing, and constant sanitizing protocols instituted by the province and the city authorities at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the chance for normalcy at work, leaving vulnerable workers with fear, anxiety, depression, frustration, uncertainties, and anger.