Abstract
To explore and compare the experiences of care home visits during the pandemic in the UK and the Netherlands. Qualitative semi-structured interview studies. Family carers of relatives residing in care homes in the UK and the Netherlands were interviewed remotely. Family carers were asked about their experiences of care home visits during the pandemic, and specifically in the Netherlands after care homes had reopened. Transcripts were analyzed in each country separately in the native language using thematic analysis, before discussing findings at multiple analysis meetings. Across 125 interviews, we developed four themes: (1) different types of contact during lockdown; (2) deterioration of resident health and well-being; (3) emotional distress of both visitors and residents; and (4) compliance to guidelines and regulations. Visiting in both the UK and the Netherlands was beneficial, if possible in the UK, yet was characterized by alternative forms of face-to-face visits which was emotionally distressing for many family carers and residents. In the Netherlands, government guidance did enable early care home visitation, while the UK was lacking any guidance leading to care homes implementing restrictions differently. Early and clear guidance, as well as communication, is required in future pandemics, and in this ongoing pandemic, to enable care home visits between residents and loved ones. It is important to take learnings from this global pandemic to reimagine long-term care, highlighting the value of socializing for care home residents.
Highlights
Since the global COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, care homes across the world have taken restrictive measures to stem infection rates and safeguard their vulnerable older adult residents
The difference between countries was that the Netherlands had quickly implemented blanket guidance on care home visitation, enabling a faster and smoother transition to reuniting family members with residents again
Remote digital connections between family members and residents have become the new norm, reflecting what has occurred in community settings for people with dementia and carers trying to engage with support services (Arighi et al, 2021; Giebel et al, 2021)
Summary
Since the global COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, care homes across the world have taken restrictive measures to stem infection rates and safeguard their vulnerable older adult residents. In the UK, there was no government guidance on how care homes should operate and how they should enable family visitation, leading care homes individually to all close down to outside visiting from February 2020 onward. Throughout the pandemic and in between waves one and two, care homes in the UK have made individual decisions of how to ease and tighten visiting rules again. In the UK, there was a substantial lag before effective and sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) was available for staff, residents or visitors
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