Social connection is associated with wellbeing and better health. However, the public health restrictions that were put in place due to COVID-19 disproportionately affected the older adult population, particularly those living in long-term care (LTC). Due to this unprecedent situation, the researchers aimed to understand the perceived impact of pandemic restrictions on families of residents in LTC facilities, and to shed light on how families perceive the strategies put in place helped families stay connected. Reporting on the interview data of a larger mixed-methods study, findings focused on themes of quality of life, quality of care, mental health concerns, communication, and the rules. The rules was an overarching theme and each of the inter-related themes describe the experiences of families feeling dismissed by the health system, stressed about not being able to support their loved one, and helpless during the various lockdowns when staffing was additional strained. These findings highlight how being excluded from decision-making processes, family members and their loved ones were severely impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions and calls for policy changes to be inclusive of families as part of the care team in decision-making for LTC.
COVID-19 Restrictions Policy Long-Term Care Family Caregivers Social Connections Canada British Columbia
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Geriatrics and Gerontology |
Journal Section | Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | January 1, 2024 |
Acceptance Date | December 31, 2023 |
Published in Issue | Year 2023 Volume: 6 Issue: 3 |
For further assistance and more detailed information about the JALTC and the publishing process, please do not hesitate to contact the secretariat of the JALTC via sending an e-mail: editor-in-chief@jaltc.net
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The National and Applied Gerontology Association (NASAG) is a leading non-profit organization in Türkiye that promotes healthy and productive aging via evidence-based research. The utilization of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in gerontology is crucial in integrating research, practice, and policy, given the need for evidence-based programming to improve the quality of life in old age. As an advocate for social action for older people, the NASAG is particularly concerned that public policies are strongly and genuinely focused on supporting and protecting the most vulnerable, marginalized, or disadvantaged older people.
The NASAG has been a member of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) since 2007.