Long-Term Care and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned.
Marie Boltz
PMID 36731958WHAT IT FOUND
Long-term care residents and families suffered loneliness, depression, delirium, functional decline, and nutritional problems after visitation restrictions.
Nurse-led family contact, rounding, activity, and trauma-informed care were reported to help. This is a narrative review, not tested evidence.
Key findings
01Restricted visitation and isolation in long-term care were associated with loneliness, depression, delirium, functional decline, nutritional problems, falls, and family stress.
02In one cited study, residents without personal contact, including phone calls, during COVID-19 restrictions had 35% greater excess mortality than residents with contact.
03Reported nursing measures included regular family contact by phone or video, structured rounding for cognitive stimulation, social interaction, snacks, fluids, and physical activity, and clear-window masks for communication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The article is a narrative review, not a new study of patients. It does not test whether the described strategies worked. It summarizes other reports without presenting original methods or results. The content focuses on United States long-term care during the pandemic.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported excess mortality among residents without contact as proof that phone calls alone prevent death. It comes from a cited study in a narrative review, not a tested intervention.