At the Epicentre of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada: Experiences and Recommendations of Family Care Partners of an Older Person Living in a Long-Term Care Home

Can J Aging. 2023 Sep 29:1-13. doi: 10.1017/S0714980823000466. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe roles of family care partners of older persons living in long-term care homes (LTCH) were severely disrupted during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our aim was to describe their experiences and to solicit their recommendations for supportive actions. We conducted a critical ethnography with 24 care partners who cared or had cared for an older person living in an LTCH in Québec during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data during interviews and used Spradley's method to analyse them. Care partners experienced a forced separation from the older persons they cared for, which resulted in significant distress. Care, including post-mortem care, was considered inadequate and sometimes even inhumane. Communication was inconsistent, and this variability was also noted in visitation rules. Care partners perceived LTCHs as a neglected community. Supportive actions were recommended. The results illustrated the essential contribution of care partners, and the supportive actions they recommended must be a catalyst for change toward more humane care in LTCH settings.PMID:37771136 | DOI:10.1017/S0714980823000466
Source: Canadian Journal on Aging - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: research