"Second set of eyes:" Family caregivers and post-acute home health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Russell, Julia G Burgdorf, Karla T Washington and 2 others
PMID 36638714WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of older adults discharged home after COVID-19 described being cut off from hospital information, then overwhelmed at home.
Home health visits were seen as needed support, but delays and reduced hours left gaps.
Key findings
01Caregivers reported that hospital visiting restrictions and unclear discharge information left them feeling excluded from care and unprepared for transition.
02After the older adult returned home, caregivers described needing to provide more help with daily activities and trouble obtaining oxygen and other supplies.
03Caregivers described home health services as important support, but also reported delayed starts, insufficient amounts of care, and aide discontinuity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
All caregivers were from one home health agency in the northeast U.S., and most were recruited early in the pandemic, so the findings may not transfer to other places or later pandemic phases. The sample was mostly female (83%) and mostly caring for a parent (63%), so it says less about spouses, partners, sons, or newer caregivers. The study reports caregiver perceptions from interviews, not patient outcomes, service records, or measured caregiver burden. Caregivers had to speak English and pass a cognitive screen, so non-English-speaking caregivers and those with cognitive impairment were not included.
Declared interests
The work was funded by a University of Missouri Research Council grant. The authors report no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that home health care improved recovery or reduced caregiver burden. The study reports caregivers' perceptions of services, not measured patient outcomes, and caregivers also described delayed or reduced services.