Addressing Dementia Care Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives From Home Care Workers.

PURPOSE: To uncover the barriers, facilitators, and adaptations that affected home care workers' care practices for their clients with dementia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with home care workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Michigan. Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit participants who were interviewed using a guide informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework. To identify themes across interviews, the research team combined content analysis with coding software for qualitative data.

RESULTS

Participants (N = 34) were predominantly female and ranged in age from 19 to 79 years. From the analyzed transcripts, five themes emerged: (1) Challenges in Complying With Pandemic Precautions; (2) Personal Protective Equipment-Related Disruption in Communication; (3) Client Fear and Agitation Exacerbated by Isolation; (4) Difficulties Necessitating Increased Patience; and (5) Continuation of Pre-Pandemic Holistic Care Practices Facilitating Well-Being.

CONCLUSION

Home care workers adapted to meet their clients' health and well-being needs in the face of the demands of the pandemic. This study's findings are critical to informing the development of strategies to support home care workers and people living with dementia during future pandemics. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 51(3), 29-36.].