233 Residents’ experiences of COVID-19 pandemic in a Long-Term Care Facility in Ireland: a qualitative study

Abstract

Abstract Background COVID-19 fundamentally impacted Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) in Ireland and worldwide. The pandemic resulted in a series of restrictions and limited older people in LTCFs in their daily lives. Learning and understanding the impact COVID-19 had on older people in LTCFs is crucial for future care delivery planning, as those in LTCFs are some of the frailest in society. This study aimed to provide a perspective of that understanding. Methods The study’s objective was to capture a description of the residents’ in-depth experience of COVID-19 in a communal long-term care facility for older people. Individual semi-structured interviews with residents who could consent were held between September to November 2021. Results Ten residents participated in the interview study. Their average stay in the LTC facility at the time of the interview was 3.25 years, with the shortest stay being 1.5 years and the longest being seven years. The gender distribution was 50/50 among the ten residents interviewed. Four main themes were concluded from the transcriptions; coping, loss & grief, resilience and social activities. The themes are interlinked and provide insight into residents’ ability to adapt to critical changes in the LTC facility in an extremely challenging period. Conclusion Although residents mentioned loss, not only about people but also the loss in doing activities, being active within the LTC facilities was essential and helped with coping with COVID-19 restrictions. Understanding residents’ experiences of COVID-19 in nursing homes is crucial to implement improvements as well as acknowledging the impact of COVID-19. Older people in LTCFs are already marginalised by their need for care. Further understanding of older people in LTC experience of a pandemic such as COVID-19 is required. This requires innovative solutions to capture the experience of all living in LTC facilities.