Burnout syndrome affecting social care services professionals

The research study is based on analysis of the risk of burnout syndrome in social service workers. The dimensions of the standardized MBI questionnaire – The Maslach Burnout Inventory – were used to identify the relationship between the risk of burnout and demographic indicators such as age, education, length of service, or faith, as well as to explore the link between supervision, lifestyle and burnout. The level of burn out syndrome is different and depends on many internal and external factors that can occur more often in peope who work with the most vulnerable groups; the biggest recipients of social services in Slovakia are seniors. As the demographic trends change and the population faces ageing, there is pressure on the quality of social services. Family home care of the elderly is replaced by institutional care in Slovakia and it is still the most preferred form of social health care. The Slovak National Council signed a pact declaring the quality standards that have to be followed by social services providers to address needs of the vulnerable groups, solve the social problems linked with health and nursing care and accept their individuality as much as possible. The lack of staff in social care centres, unsustainable funding and changing social policy can cause increased stress on workers in social services.