National Survey on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Australian Residential Aged Care Residents and Staff
Article
Article Title | National Survey on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Australian Residential Aged Care Residents and Staff |
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Article Category | Article |
Authors | Brydon, Aida, Bhar, Sunil, Doyle, Colleen, Batchelor, Frances, Lovelock, Harry, Almond, Helen, Mitchell, Leander, Nedeljkovic, Maja, Savvas, Steven and Wuthrich, Viviana |
Journal Title | Clinical Gerontologist |
Journal Citation | 45 (1), pp. 58-70 |
Number of Pages | 13 |
Year | 01 Jan 2022 |
Place of Publication | United States |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2021.1985671 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07317115.2021.1985671 |
Abstract | Objectives: This study is the first to obtain data on the prevalence of, contributors to, and supports required for, pandemic-related distress within the residential aged care sector in Australia. A nested mixed-methods approach was used to examine aged care leaders’ opinions about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of aged care residents and staff. Methods: A total of 288 senior staff of Australian residential aged care facilities (care managers, clinical care coordinators, and lifestyle team leaders; mean age = 52.7 years, SD = 10.3) completed an online survey between 10th September and 31st October 2020. Results: On average, nearly half of their residents experienced loneliness (41%) and a third experienced anxiety in response to COVID-19 (33%). The most frequently noted contributors to poor mental health among residents were restrictions to recreational outings and watching news coverage relating to COVID-19. Participants emphasized the need for increased access to counseling services and improved mental health training amongst staff. Residential care staff were similarly impacted by the pandemic. More than a third of staff were reported as anxious (36%) and 20% depressed, in response to COVID-19. Staff were worried about introducing COVID-19 into their facility and were impacted by news coverage of COVID-19. Staff would feel supported by financial assistance and by increased staff-resident ratios. Conclusions: Senior staff perceive that the mental health of Australian aged care residents and staff was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The most noted contributors were identified, as was the mental health support for aged care communities. Clinical Implications: This study provides government and policymakers with clear intervention targets for supporting the sector. Clinicians can support residential aged care communities by providing on-site or telehealth counseling, and upskill and train residential aged care staff on how to respond to the emotional needs of residents in response to COVID-19. |
Keywords | COVID-19; mental health; aged care; older adults; residential aged care |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | Swinburne University of Technology |
National Ageing Research Institute, Australia | |
Mental Health Australia | |
University of Queensland | |
Macquarie University | |
Library Services |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/wv570/national-survey-on-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-mental-health-of-australian-residential-aged-care-residents-and-staff
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