Social Connection is Essential in Long-Term Care Homes: Considerations During COVID-19 and Beyond

doi:10.5770/cgj.24.488

. 2021 Jun 1;24(2):151-153.

doi: 10.5770/cgj.24.488. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Social Connection is Essential in Long-Term Care Homes: Considerations During COVID-19 and Beyond

Jennifer Bethell^{1

2}, Hannah M O'Rourke³, Heather Eagleson⁴, Daniel Gaetano⁴, Wayne Hykaway⁴, Carrie McAiney^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON.
² Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.
³ Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
⁴ Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Dementia Advisory Group (https://ccna-ccnv.ca/contact/).
⁵ University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
⁶ Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging, Waterloo, ON, Canada.

PMID: 34079609
PMCID: PMC8137460
DOI: 10.5770/cgj.24.488

Social Connection is Essential in Long-Term Care Homes: Considerations During COVID-19 and Beyond

Jennifer Bethell et al. Can Geriatr J. 2021.

. 2021 Jun 1;24(2):151-153.

doi: 10.5770/cgj.24.488. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Authors

Jennifer Bethell^{1

2}, Hannah M O'Rourke³, Heather Eagleson⁴, Daniel Gaetano⁴, Wayne Hykaway⁴, Carrie McAiney^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON.
² Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.
³ Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
⁴ Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Dementia Advisory Group (https://ccna-ccnv.ca/contact/).
⁵ University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
⁶ Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging, Waterloo, ON, Canada.

PMID: 34079609
PMCID: PMC8137460
DOI: 10.5770/cgj.24.488

Abstract

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on long-term care (LTC) homes in Canada. But the measures put in place to control infection within LTC homes have also had devastating impacts on the health and well-being of residents through the effects on social connection. Here, we offer guiding principles to enable social connection and promote health and quality of life for LTC residents during COVID-19 and beyond. These principles were generated by a working group of the COVID-19 and Dementia Task Force, convened by the Alzheimer Society of Canada to identify the urgent and emerging issues raised by COVID-19 for Canadians with dementia.

Keywords: dementia; loneliness; long-term care homes; social engagement; social network; social support.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES The authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist.

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References

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[1] Berkman LF, Glass T, Brissette I, et al. From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Soc Sci Med. 2000;51(6):843–57. doi: 10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00065-4. - DOI - PubMed

[2] Berkman LF, Glass T, Brissette I, et al. From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Soc Sci Med. 2000;51(6):843–57. doi: 10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00065-4. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Leedahl SN, Sellon A, Chapin RK. Assessment of multiple constructs of social integration for older adults living in nursing homes. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2018;61(5):526–48. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2018.1451938. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Leedahl SN, Sellon A, Chapin RK. Assessment of multiple constructs of social integration for older adults living in nursing homes. J Gerontol Soc Work. 2018;61(5):526–48. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2018.1451938. - DOI - PubMed

[5] O’Rourke HM, Collins L, Sidani S. Interventions to address social connectedness and loneliness for older adults: a scoping review. BMC Geriatr. 2018;18(1):1–3. doi: 10.1186/s12877-018-0897-x. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] O’Rourke HM, Collins L, Sidani S. Interventions to address social connectedness and loneliness for older adults: a scoping review. BMC Geriatr. 2018;18(1):1–3. doi: 10.1186/s12877-018-0897-x. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Bradshaw SA, Playford ED, Riazi A. Living well in care homes: a systematic review of qualitative studies. Age Ageing. 2012;41(4):429–40. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afs069. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Bradshaw SA, Playford ED, Riazi A. Living well in care homes: a systematic review of qualitative studies. Age Ageing. 2012;41(4):429–40. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afs069. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Canadian Institute for Health Information. Dementia in long-term care. Ottawa, ON: The Institute; 2018. [Accessed 2020 September 17]. Available from: https://www.cihi.ca/en/dementia-in-canada/dementia-across-the-health-sys....

[10] Canadian Institute for Health Information. Dementia in long-term care. Ottawa, ON: The Institute; 2018. [Accessed 2020 September 17]. Available from: https://www.cihi.ca/en/dementia-in-canada/dementia-across-the-health-sys....

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Social Connection is Essential in Long-Term Care Homes: Considerations During COVID-19 and Beyond

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Social Connection is Essential in Long-Term Care Homes: Considerations During COVID-19 and Beyond

Authors

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Conflict of interest statement

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