Individualized Care in Nursing Homes Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author Information
Author(s): Aurora García-Camacha Gutiérrez, Irene García-Camacha Gutiérrez, Riitta Suhonen, Beatriz Rodríguez-Martín, Richard Gray
Primary Institution: Social and Health Research Center, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Hypothesis
The study aims to analyze the changes in perceptions about the individualization of care, quality of life, and care environment of elderly people living in long-term care centers before and after the pandemic.
Conclusion
Slight improvements in individualized care were observed after the pandemic, but significant room for improvement remains.
Supporting Evidence
- 177 elderly individuals participated in the study, with 87 pre-COVID-19 and 90 post-COVID-19.
- 62.7% of participants were women, and the average age was 83.3 years.
- Residents scored an average of 6.47 points out of 10 in life quality self-evaluation.
- 10 out of 17 items related to maintaining individuality were rated higher after COVID-19.
Takeaway
This study looked at how elderly people in nursing homes felt about their care before and after COVID-19, finding some improvements but still a lot of room to make things better.
Methodology
A prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted using validated scales to assess perceptions of individualized care, quality of life, and care environment.
Potential Biases
The sample had a clear female predominance, reflecting the feminization of old age, which may introduce bias in the findings.
Limitations
The study could not access private long-term care centers and only included fully competent participants, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The average age of participants was 83.3 years, with 62.7% being women and a majority reporting no formal education.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.058
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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