Family member roles in long term care: Lessons for the future from COVID-19
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Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2022-07-18
Type of Work
Department
Program
Citation of Original Publication
Kusmaul, Nancy, Vivian J.Miller, and HyangCheon. Family member roles in long term care: Lessons for the future from COVID-19. Journal of Aging Studies 62 (September 2022) 101060.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2022.101060
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Access to this item will begin on 09/15/2024
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Access to this item will begin on 09/15/2024
Subjects
Abstract
This study investigates nursing home residents’ and care partners’ experiences during
COVID-19 visitation restrictions. A nonprobability purposive sample of care partners was
recruited via social media and email listservs. Care partners completed surveys (N=30) and
follow-up interviews (n=17). Before COVID-19, care partners visited residents 3+ times
per week for socialization and care. After restrictions, communication between care
partners and nursing homes deteriorated. Families experienced reduced communication
about residents’ health statuses and little COVID-19 case information. Care partners
expanded their advocacy roles, proposing policies to protect residents’ rights. Care partners
reported losing irreplaceable time with residents during restrictions. In future emergencies,
we must balance the value of family visits with public health protection such as personal
protective equipment (PPE)