The Impact of Social Distancing Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on People with Dementia, Family Carers and Healthcare Professionals: A Qualitative Study

Hanneke J A Smaling,Wilco P Achterberg,Mandy Visser,Bram Tilburgs

doi:10.3390/ijerph19010519

Abstract

Social distancing measures imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to the health and wellbeing of people with dementia, family carers, and healthcare professionals. This study investigated the impact of these measures on all involved in the care for people with dementia. For this qualitative study, 20 family carers and 20 healthcare professionals from home care and long-term care (LTC) participated in a semi-structured interview. Interviews were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. For people with dementia, the social distancing measures resulted in a deterioration of physical health. The impact on their emotional state and behaviour depended on the stage of dementia. Family carers experienced difficulty coping with visiting restrictions, anxiety regarding safety, and changes in carer burden. Healthcare professionals had an increased workload, and felt guilty about adhering to restrictive measures. Differences between home care and LTC were reported (i.e., societal initiatives focussed on LTC, scarcity of activities for community-dwelling people with dementia, use of personal protective equipment more intrusive for home care). The social distancing measures had a negative impact on persons with dementia, their family carers, and healthcare professionals. More attention is needed for community-dwelling people with dementia and family carers in times of social isolation.

Highlights

This study investigates the impact of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on home care and long-term care (LTC) for people with dementia, family carers and healthcare professionals (HCP)
This study investigated how social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted home care and LTC for people with dementia, family carers and HCP
This study showed that the needs of those involved may vary and that home care services required different approaches than LTC

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. In 2020, nearly 80% of deaths due to COVID-19 concerned people aged 65 and older with multiple chronic conditions [1]. On average, made up 46% of COVID-19 related deaths [2]. To protect vulnerable groups and limit community spread, governments have been imposing social distancing measures since early 2020. In the Netherlands, social contact outside the household was initially allowed on the conditions that it was restricted to a maximum of three persons and at least 1.5 m distance.

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