JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in profound loss of life among older adults living in long-term care (LTC) homes. As a pandemic response, LTC homes enforced infection control processes including isolating older adults in their rooms, cancelling therapeutic programs, and restricting family member visits. Social isolation negatively impacts older adults in LTC, which may result in increased rates of anxiety, depression, physical and cognitive decline, disorientation, fear, apathy, and premature death. Isolation of older adults can also cause an increase in responsive behaviours (e.g., yelling, hitting, calling out) to express frustration, fear, restricted movement and boredom. To respond to the challenges in LTC and support frontline staff, older adults and family members, a novel Registered Practical Nurse (RPN)-led delivery of the PIECES(TM) approach for addressing responsive behaviours among older adults with dementia using virtual training/mentoring was implemented in Canadian LTC homes. PIECES(TM) employs a person and family/care partner-centred, collaborative team-based approach to provide education and capacity building for nurses, engages families as active participants in care, and embeds evidence-informed practices to provide person- and family-centered care to older adults with complex needs including dementia.

Objective:

To describe experiences of LTC staff, family/care partners, and older adult research partners with implementing a novel RPN-led virtual adaptation of the PIECES care planning approach for responsive behaviours in two Canadian long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

Using a qualitative descriptive design, two focus groups were held with three to four staff members (e.g., RPNs, managers) per LTC home in Ontario. A third was held with three PIECES mentors. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with RPN champions, family/care partners, and older adult research partners. Research team meeting notes provided an additional source of data. Content analysis was conducted.

Results:

A total of 22 participants took part in a focus group (n=11) or an in-depth individual interview (n=11). Participant experiences suggest that implementation of RPN-led virtual PIECES fostered individualized care, included family as partners in care, increased interdisciplinary collaboration and improved staff practices. However, virtual PIECES, as delivered, lacked opportunities for family member feedback on older adult outcomes. Implementation facilitators included the provision of mentorship and leadership at all levels of implementation, and suitable technological infrastructure. Barriers were related to availability and use of virtual communication technology (family members) and older adults became upset due to lack of comprehension during virtual care conferences.

Conclusions:

Findings give promising support to adopting virtual PIECES – a team approach to gather valuable family input and engagement to address residents’ unmet needs and responsive behaviours in LTC. Future research should investigate a hybridized communication format to foster sustainable person and family-centered care planning practices to include active collaboration of families in individualized care plans.