Compassion fatigue is a relatively new term that describes the symptoms that are experienced by social workers and other helping professionals who work with clients experiencing trauma. This article defines the concept of compassion fatigue and relates compassion fatigue to Adult Protective Services (APS) social workers. It is proposed that APS social workers may be susceptible to the deleterious effects of compassion fatigue due to the nature of their work and environment. Suggestions for avoidance of compassion fatigue are also discussed, including self-care strategies and the need for continuing education regarding this phenomenon.

Little research has focused on the risk factors, effects, and experiences of compassion fatigue among gerontological social workers. This qualitative study explores the experiences and perspectives of nine Adult Protective Services (APS) social workers in relation to compassion fatigue. Results show that the APS social workers combined personal characteristics and professional factors to develop boundary-setting mechanisms that protected them from experiencing the deleterious symptoms and effects of compassion fatigue. Implications center around the elements needed to implement boundaries in order to maintain a separation between the work and home environment. Suggestions for future research are provided.

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Compassion fatigue, also known as secondary traumatic stress, can result from a social worker working with traumatized clients in all areas of social work. If affected by compassion fatigue, the social worker will begin to experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-like symptoms, which can have a deleterious effect on his/her personal and professional life. If the symptoms of compassion fatigue are left untreated, it could lead to ethical concerns with the client or leaving the social work profession. It is extremely important for the social worker to seek individual help to treat the symptoms and effects of compassion fatigue; however, it is also important to seek out the assistance of therapeutic support groups. This paper will discuss various strategies that can be employed in therapeutic support groups for social workers to help them ameliorate the effects of compassion fatigue.