At the final MBCHF of the year, presenters Jo Fitzpatrick, Ruth Harris and Olivia Luijnenburg discussed some of the experiences of care home staff, care home residents and their relatives working and living in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 28 attendees were affiliated to different care providers, care homes, and universities.

Social distancing and isolation had a grave impact on some of the people working and living in care homes. Although many study participants understood the importance of such measures, both residents and staff of care homes felt the lack of touch and the distancing measures impacting their well-being. Some ancillary staff (such as cleaners, housekeepers, and cooks) in care homes also reported COVID-19 measures impacting their practice and engagement with residents. Increased work tasks and less opportunity to spend time with residents created more distance between them and the people they cleaned or cooked for.

A clear thread that linked the two projects together was how care homes were usually not seen as just care institutions, but rather as actual homes and families. Particularly during the pandemic, this had increased value due to the lack of visitors and social distancing measures in care homes throughout the UK.

This was the last MBCHF of the year, we will come back with more care home related projects in 2023!

MBCHF is a forum for discussion and learning focused on dementia care in communal settings such as nursing homes, care homes and extra care housing.