Working Conditions, Organizational Support, and Retention Among Home-Care Workers in Taiwan: A Multi-Case Qualitative Study

Taiwan's transition to a super-aged society has intensified reliance on home-based long-term care, making workforce retention critical. This qualitative study drew on 36 semi-structured interviews with 18 frontline workers, nine supervisors, and nine directors across six licensed agencies. Thematic analysis showed that retention depended on sustainable income, safe working conditions, occupational respect, accessible supervision, conflict mediation, coherent scheduling, and advancement opportunities. Organizational support translated policy and reimbursement structures into daily experiences of fairness, safety, and belonging. Retention is therefore a gerontological social work concern because workforce instability disrupts relational continuity, weakens trust, and threatens aging-in-place for older adults and families.