Abstract
ObjectivesThe aim of this national survey was to explore the impact of COVID‐19 public health measures on access to social support services and the effects of closures of services on the mental well‐being of older people and those affected by dementia.MethodsA UK‐wide online and telephone survey was conducted with older adults, people with dementia, and carers between April and May 2020. The survey captured demographic and postcode data, social support service usage before and after COVID‐19 public health measures, current quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between social support service variations and anxiety and well‐being.ResultsFive hundred and sixty‐nine participants completed the survey (61 people with dementia, 285 unpaid carers, and 223 older adults). Paired samples t‐tests and X 2‐tests showed that the mean hour of weekly social support service usage and the number of people having accessed various services was significantly reduced post COVID‐19. Multiple regression analyses showed that higher variations in social support service hours significantly predicted increased levels of anxiety in people with dementia and older adults, and lower levels of mental well‐being in unpaid carers and older adults.ConclusionsBeing unable to access social support services due to COVID contributed to worse quality of life and anxiety in those affected by dementia and older adults across the UK. Social support services need to be enabled to continue providing support in adapted formats, especially in light of continued public health restrictions for the foreseeable future.
Highlights
The first case of COVID‐19 was reported on New Year's Eve 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since spread globally, putting many nations into lockdown
Preliminary findings indicate that mental health in the general UK population has declined since the onset of the pandemic and associated social changes.[13]. To our knowledge, this is the first study of mental health and wellbeing that has recruited people living with dementia (PLWD), their family carers, and older people; and the first to explore how availability of social services for PLWD has changed with the pandemic. This cross‐sectional survey had two aims as follows: (1) to explore how social support service access by older adults and those affected by dementia changed in March 2020, at the time when COVID‐related public health measures were imposed; and (2) to explore, in people who were receiving social support services prior to the pandemic, the relationship between any change in service availability and mental well‐being, anxiety, and depression symptoms
We asked all participants to state types and levels of social support service access, which were recorded in hours per week, including paid carers, support groups, social activities in the community, respite, day care centres, meal deliveries, befriending and accompanying services, and others, pre‐ (T1) and post‐ (T2) COVID‐19
Summary
The first case of COVID‐19 was reported on New Year's Eve 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since spread globally, putting many nations into lockdown. In the UK, a nationwide lockdown was imposed from the 23rd of March which lasted for over 12 weeks, not allowing people to go outside the home more than once a day and only for exercise or essential trips, such as grocery shopping or picking up medication. People aged 70þ years and those with underlying health conditions were not supposed to go outside at all and supposed to shield. As there is currently no disease modifying treatment, social care accounts for the great majority of dementia care costs. While residential care accounts for most of these costs, costs include peer support groups, respite care, day care centres, and befriending
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