Strategies and actions to enable meaningful family connections in nursing homes during the COVID-19: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objectives. To better understand the impact of visitor restrictions on nursing home residents and their families as well as strategies and actions that were conducted in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods. A scoping review was carried out in October 2020. Several electronic databases were used: Cochrane Plus, Scopus, Web of Sciences and PubMed. 725 results were identified. We included 10 articles.Results. Thematic analysis obtained the following categories: the impact of COVID-19 on nursing home residents' lives and their families, procedures and frameworks of nursing homes during and after lockdown, and solutions and resources implemented by health care professionals to improve the connection between older people and their families.Conclusions. Visitor restrictions have a high impact on the health and well-being of older adults' and their families. The main strategies and solutions employed to reduce social isolation and facilitate the communication between older adults' and their families were the use of information and communication technologies, family support groups, and the assignment of reference staff to each family.Clinical implications. The strategies and solutions mentioned should be internationally considered by health care providers in nursing homes to improve connections between family and older adults.

The Experience of COVID-19 Visitor Restrictions among Families of People Living in Long-Term Residential Care Facilities during the First Wave of the Pandemic in Ireland

“…Findings indicate a clear need for the provision of ICT solutions that will meaningfully support remote engagement in care. Effective communication is the cornerstone of quality care, it improves patient outcomes, provides emotional support to families, and informs good decision-making processes [ 31 ] but without traditional lines of communication, these aspects of care were threatened and staff, family and residents alike were required to rapidly adopt communication solutions to maintain connections and continue to inform care [ 32 ]. Quality communication provides emotional support to families, builds trusting relationships and informs good decision-making processes [ 33 , 34 ].…”

Managing the Impact of COVID-19 in Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities: An Update

“…Other studies have highlighted the importance of synchronous and familiar methods of communication such as telephone or email to maintain well-being in times of restrictions, 202 and indeed a systematic review recommends increased use of information and communication technologies, family support groups, and the assignment of reference staff to each family. 203 Increasing the number of communication options, frequency of communication, and increased context-specific information has been emphasized to increase the satisfaction of communication during visitation bans in Dutch nursing homes. 204 Despite the impact of visiting restrictions on family members, most reported acceptance of visitation restriction policies.…”

Shining a Spotlight: The Ramifications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Older Adults

“…These include declines in mental health and physical functioning, increased psychological distress and behavioral problems, and heightened mortality risk, especially among people with cognitive impairment (Gorenko et al, 2021). Recognition of the risks posed by limited social interaction spurred increased use of information and communication technologies during the pandemic to maintain connections between older adults and their families and friends, on the part of both long-term care facilities and community-based providers and older adults themselves (Kakulla, 2021;Veiga-Siejo et al, 2021). Physical and cognitive limitations, cost, availability, knowledge, awareness, experience, comfort, attitude, and aptitude may serve as impediments to successful usage, however.…”