scholarly journals 212 - Involvement, Worries and Loneliness of Family Caregivers of People with Dementia during the COVID-19 Visitor-ban in Long-term Care Facilities

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 14-14
Author(s):  
Marleen Prins ◽  
Bernadette Willemse ◽  
Claudia van der Velden ◽  
Anne Margriet Pot ◽  
Henriëtte van der Roest

BackgroundTo prevent COVID-19 from spreading in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), the Dutch government took national restrictive measures, including a visitor-ban in LTCFs between mid-March and May 2020.Physical visits were replaced by alternatives as telephone or video calls. This study examines the relationship between the involvement of family caregivers (informal caregivers, ICs) of people with dementia (PwD) living in LTCFs and IC mental health during the visitor-ban. Furthermore, we examine whether this relationship is moderated by the frequency of contact with PwD during the visitor-ban and resilience of ICs.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out, 375 Dutch long-term care organizations were invited by email to participate. LTCFs sent eligible ICs a link to an anonymous online survey. Family involvement was assessed by the visiting frequency and doing social (e.g. drinking coffee), or social and task-related (e.g. laundry) activities during visits before the visitor-ban.Results958 ICs of PwD participated. Contact frequency increased for 17% ICs and decreased for 25% compared to visiting frequency. 43% of ICs did only social activities and 57% social and task-related activities. ICs who visited their relatives at least once a week before the visitor-ban were more worried during the visitor-ban than those with less regular visits (main effect). Contact frequency during the visitor-ban was a moderating factor, ICs who visited the PwD daily before, but had at least weekly contact during the visitor-ban, worried less. No main effects for activity type were found on loneliness , however resilience was a moderating factor. Resilient ICs who did more diverse activities (task and social related) before the visitor-ban, experienced less loneliness during the visitor ban.ConclusionsThe results implicate that to reduce worries amongst ICs, LTCFs should facilitate in continuing contact with PwD during a visitor-ban, specifically in highly involved ICs. Also, non-resilient ICs that generally only do social activities are more prone to loneliness. It is advisable for healthcare and welfare professionals to reach out to this group, to help them with overcoming their loneliness.

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1474-1480
Author(s):  
Marleen Prins ◽  
Bernadette Willemse ◽  
Claudia van der Velden ◽  
Anne Margriet Pot ◽  
Henriëtte van der Roest

Author(s):  
Timo-Kolja Pförtner ◽  
Holger Pfaff ◽  
Kira Isabel Hower

Abstract The Corona pandemic poses major demands for long-term care, which might have impacted the intention to quit the profession among managers of long-term care facilities. We used cross-sectional data of an online survey of long-term care managers from outpatient and inpatient nursing and palliative care facilities surveyed in April 2020 (survey cycle one; n = 532) and between December 2020 and January 2021 (survey cycle two; n = 301). The results show a significant association between the perceived pandemic-specific and general demands and the intention to leave the profession. This association was significantly stronger for general demands in survey cycle two compared with survey cycle one. The results highlight the pandemic’s immediate impact on long-term care. In view of the increasing number of people in need of care and the already existing scarcity of specialized nursing staff, the results highlight the need for initiatives to ensure the provision of long-term care, also and especially in such times of crisis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-266
Author(s):  
Patrick Alexander Wachholz ◽  
Alessandro Ferrari Jacinto ◽  
Ruth Caldeira de Melo ◽  
José Luis Dinamarca-Montecinos ◽  
Paulo José Fortes Villas Boas

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about management and mitigation of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities (LTCF) for the aged in Latin America. OBJECTIVE: To describe how the management of LTCF in Latin American countries plan and adapt their routines for coping with COVID-19 and whether they have been able to fulfill recommendations published by the World Health Organization (WHO). METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted by online survey of managers of LTCF located in Hispanic American countries. A 46-item questionnaire (adopting the WHO principles) was sent to participants. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. RESULTS: Twenty-three care home managers replied, responsible for a total of 874 older people (range: 5 - 270). One questionnaire was excluded because of missing responses. Fourteen LTCF (63.60%) were private, for-profit facilities. The rate of compliance with WHO recommendations exceeded 70% for the majority of items. Just over half of the institutions had developed a strategic management plan, or had identified strategies for dealing with deaths of suspected cases. Difficulty acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE) was reported by 59.10% of the LTCF surveyed. The homes’ capacity for SARS-Cov-2 testing was limited (36.36% of the institutions did not have any tests). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of compliance with recommendations published by the WHO for dealing with COVID-19 was greater than 70% at the majority of the LTCF surveyed. More than half of the institutions had strategic management plans. Availability of PPE and SARS-Cov-2 testing capacity were very unsatisfactory.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 983-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette M. Willemse ◽  
Jan de Jonge ◽  
Dieneke Smit ◽  
Wouter Dasselaar ◽  
Marja F. I. A. Depla ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackground:Research showed that long-term care facilities differ widely in the use of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints. The aim of this study is to investigate whether characteristics of an unhealthy work environment in facilities for people with dementia are associated with more prescription of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints.Methods:Data were derived from the first wave (2008–2009) of a national monitoring study in the Netherlands. This paper used data on prescription of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints from 111 long-term care facilities, residing 4,796 residents. Survey data of a sample of 996 staff and 1,138 residents were considered. The number of residents with prescribed benzodiazepines and anti-psychotic drugs, and physical restraints were registered. Work environment was assessed using the Leiden Quality of Work Questionnaire (LQWQ).Results:Logistic regression analyses showed that more supervisor support was associated with less prescription of benzodiazepines. Coworker support was found to be related to less prescription of deep chairs. Job demands and decision authority were not found to be predictors of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints.Conclusions:Staff's job characteristics were scarcely related to the prescription of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints. This finding indicates that in facilities with an unhealthy work environment for nursing staff, one is not more likely to prescribe drugs or restraints. Further longitudinal research is needed with special attention for multidisciplinary decision making – especially role of physician, staff's knowledge, philosophy of care and institutional policy to gain further insight into factors influencing the use of psychotropic drugs and restraints.


2005 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amie J. Gibbs-Ward ◽  
Heather H. Keller

Mealtimes are central to the nutritional care of residents in long-term care facilities. There has been little Canadian research to guide interdisciplinary practice around mealtimes. This study included a grounded theory approach to explore mealtime experiences of 20 people with dementia living in two long-term care facilities, and the meal-related care they received from registered nurses, health care aides, and dietitians. Theoretical sampling directed the collection and analysis of data from mealtime observations in special care units and key informant interviews with care providers. The constant comparison method was used to analyze and conceptualize the data. A substantive theory emerged with three key themes: Each mealtime is a unique process embedded within a long-term care facility's environment. Residents are central to the process through their actions (i.e., arriving, eating, waiting, socializing, leaving, and miscellaneous distracted activities). Internal (i.e., residents’ characteristics) and external (i.e., co-resident, direct caregiving, indirect caregiving, administrative, and government activities) influences affect residents’ actions at mealtimes. The theory suggests that optimal mealtime experiences for residents require individualized care that reflects interdisciplinary, multi-level interventions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S242-S242
Author(s):  
Robert O Barker ◽  
Andrew Kingston ◽  
Fiona Matthews ◽  
Barbara Hanratty

Abstract Older adults in long-term care facilities (LTCF) have complex needs for health care and support. There is a perception that residents’ needs are increasing over time, but little research evidence to back this up. In this study we brought together data on 1640 residents in LTCFs from three longitudinal studies, and conducted repeated cross-sectional analyses across a 25 year period. We found that the prevalence of severe disability amongst residents has increased from 56% to 80% over a 20 year period, driven by increases in difficulties in bathing and dressing. The prevalence of multimorbidity also increased from 29% to 56% between 2006 and 2014. A growth in the number of people with dementia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases contributed to this. We conclude that residents in LTCFs have become a selected subset of the population, characterised by increasing needs for support. This poses an important challenge for future care provision.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document