Experience of Family Caregivers in Long-Term Care Hospitals During the Early Stages of COVID-19: A Phenomenological Analysis.

Abstract

This study investigated the experiences of inpatient family caregivers who experienced restrictions in meeting their family members owing to the changed visitation guidelines of long-term care hospitals during the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to deepen our understanding of the nature of these caregivers' experiences. The participants were family caregivers of patients in long-term care hospitals during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data from nine inpatient caregivers from April to July 2021. Individual interviews and data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Participants' experiences were classified into the following three themes: (1) a prison-like long-term care hospital bound by strict COVID-19 prevention rules; (2) growing affection for unreachable parents; and (3) adaptation to a new, safer daily life. Participants had difficulty communicating with their families living under quarantine conditions during COVID-19 due to non-face-to-face situations. However, amid the long-term COVID-19 situation, participants overcame these challenges through efforts to facilitate communication. The results of this study can be used as basic data to support the smooth communication between patients and caregivers in long-term care hospitals in the event of an infectious disease outbreak in the future, to alleviate emotional stress, and to minimize the weakening of families.