Strategies and actions to enable meaningful family connections in nursing homes during the COVID-19: a scoping review

Abstract

[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.