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. 2022 Jan;21(1):250-269.
doi: 10.1177/14713012211036601. Epub 2021 Aug 4.

Resilience and supporting people living with dementia during the time of COVID-19; A qualitative study

Kerry Hanna  1 , Clarissa Giebel  2 , Sarah Butchard  2 , Hilary Tetlow  3 , Kym Ward  4 , Justine Shenton  5 , Jacqueline Cannon  6 , Aravind Komuravelli  7 , Anna Gaughan  8 , Ruth Eley  9 , Carol Rogers  10 , Manoj Rajagopal  11 , Stan Limbert  12 , Steve Callaghan  13 , Rosie Whittington  14 , Lisa Shaw  15 , Warren Donnellan  16 , Mark Gabbay  17
Affiliations

Resilience and supporting people living with dementia during the time of COVID-19; A qualitative study

Kerry Hanna et al. Dementia (London). 2022 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the different factors of resilience for people living with dementia and unpaid carers, in response to sudden changes in care and lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Unpaid carers and people living with dementia were offered telephone interviews in April 2020 to discuss their experiences since the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were asked about the benefits and challenges of accessing dementia support, as well as coping, symptoms, strategies and impacts. Each transcript was analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis by two researchers.

Findings: Semi-structured interviews from 50 participants (n = 42 unpaid carers and n = 8 people living with dementia) reported protective and risk factors of resilience concerning (1) communication, (2) adaptations, (3) support networks and (4) lifestyle factors and coping mechanisms.

Conclusions: Resilience factors considered both organisational factors for external support, along with individual coping mechanisms. Organisations and social support services should consider resilience factors in future service planning, to better support people living with dementia, or caring someone living with dementia, during times of great stress. The ecological model of resilience established from this research refers to resilience during times of unexpected change in the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it could be considered relevant in other periods of high stress within this cohort.

Keywords: COVID-19; community care; dementia; older adults; resilience.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Model of resilience for people living with/caring for a person living with dementia in the time of COVID-19. System resilience consisted of effective and continuous communication among services and people living with dementia/carers. Support networks and paid care that remained active during the time of COVID-19 acted as protective factors of resilience. Individual/community level resilience consisted of effective communication links and active support networks with family and community members. Adaptations to using technology and PPE were mainly reliant on carer support or previous experiences those living with dementia. Good weather and access to green spaces further acted as a protected factor of resilience during lockdown through the opportunities it provided people in accessing social spaces.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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