Supporting Rurally Dwelling Adults With Disabilities: The Experiences of Staff From Two Organisations in Western Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Zoe Lawrence-Haughey, Monica Moran, Rohan Rasiah and 1 others
PMID 40028794WHAT IT FOUND
Disability support staff in rural Western Australia described pandemic response as forgotten, with unclear rules, PPE shortages and rising workloads.
They also reported clients losing routines and community contact, while staff adapted through new safety practices and local collaboration.
Key findings
01Eleven staff from two organisations described four themes: burden, government response difficulties, unclear work boundaries, and adapting.
02Participants reported clients lost day-to-day activities and social connection, which conflicted with disability support staff's role in facilitating inclusion.
03Staff adapted by changing safety procedures, while noting clients' access to phones varied.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only 11 staff from two organisations in one rural town were interviewed, so the findings may not apply to other disability services. People with disabilities were not interviewed, so client experiences were reported through staff perceptions. The study is qualitative and describes experiences, not tested outcomes or effects of interventions. Managers helped recruit participants, which could have affected who agreed to speak.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the reported adaptations, such as daily updates and community collaboration, as tested ways to improve client care. The study interviewed 11 staff about their perceptions and did not include people with disabilities or measure outcomes.