“Precious Time Together Was Taken Away”: Impact of COVID-19 Restrictive Measures on Social Needs and Loneliness from the Perspective of Residents of Nursing Homes, Close Relatives, and Volunteers

Suzie Noten, Annerieke Stoop, Jasper De Witte, Elleke Landeweer, Floor Vinckers, Nina Hovenga, Leonieke C. van Boekel and Katrien G. Luijkx
Additional contact information
Suzie Noten: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
Annerieke Stoop: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
Jasper De Witte: HIVA—Research Institute for Work and Society KU Leuven, P.O. Box 5300, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Elleke Landeweer: Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Floor Vinckers: Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Nina Hovenga: Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Leonieke C. van Boekel: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, FORCE (Foundation for Orthopaedic Research Care Education), Amphia Hospital, 4819 EV Breda, The Netherlands
Katrien G. Luijkx: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: During the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, restrictive measures (e.g., prohibiting physical visits and group activities) were introduced in nursing homes to protect older residents. Although the importance of social contacts and social activities to fulfill social needs and avoid loneliness is known, these were challenged during the pandemic. This qualitative study specifically focused on how residents, close relatives, and volunteers in nursing homes experienced the restrictive measures in retrospect and gained insights into the impact of the restrictive measures on social needs and loneliness, and the lessons that could be learned. Thirty semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with residents and close relatives, and one online focus group with ten volunteers, were conducted. Recruitment took place at psychogeriatric and somatic units in the Northern, Eastern and Southern regions of the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium. The interviews and focus group were transcribed verbatim, and an open, inductive approach was used for analysis. Alternative ways of social contact could not fully compensate for physical visits. Generally, participants reported that it was a difficult time, indicated by feelings of loneliness, fear, sadness, and powerlessness. A great diversity in loneliness was reported. The most important reasons for feeling lonely were missing close social contacts and social activities. The diversity in the impact of restrictive measures depended on, e.g., social needs, coping strategies, and character. Restrictive COVID-19 measures in nursing homes resulted in negative emotions and unmet social needs of residents, close relatives, and volunteers. During future outbreaks of the COVID-19 virus or another virus or bacterium, for which restrictive measures may be needed, nursing homes should actively involve residents, close relatives, and volunteers to balance safety, self-determination, and well-being.

Keywords: social contacts; social needs; loneliness; residents; nursing homes; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3468/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3468/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3468-:d:771652

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().