Sheffcare #SpeakUp: care homes are still feeling the impacts of Covid-19

Sheffcare run nine care homes in Sheffield and provide care for more than 500 older people across the city. They applied for one of this year's #SpeakUp grants, and used it to speak with residents, families and friends about the impact Covid-19 has had on them. Through surveys and conversation groups they spoke with:

• 24 residents
• 32 relatives and friends
• 8 staff members and volunteers

Find out about their findings below, or read the full report.

How did care homes handle the pandemic?

Residents and their families said that their relationships with care homes during Covid-19 were generally positive. There was a strong perception of staff working hard in difficult circumstances. People also felt that care homes implemented Covid-19 policies well, though could have been better at communicating the changes.

There was still a lot of worry and frustration expressed, though, especially about the early stages of the pandemic. This was largely directed at decisions coming from central government and public health teams, rather than care homes putting those practices in place.

"It was very upsetting, but staff were excellent [considering] the massive problem of covid"

What was it like to visit a care home during Covid-19?

Sheffcare heard about mixed experiences of visiting and of communication, across their own care homes and others in the city. Some people were well supported to use technology to stay in contact with their families, while others were not. Some people could have window visits, while others - due to the layout of the home or lack of staff capacity to support the visits - couldn't. The introduction of pod visits was widely welcomed, but still not right for everyone, especially during cold weather.

How did lockdowns impact residents and their families?

Lockdowns were extremely challenging for residents and their families. People in some homes had experienced large numbers of lockdowns - national lockdowns, personal isolation periods when moving in or returning from hospital, and further lockdowns in the home when Covid cases were identified.

A key finding came from the relatives of people who moved into care homes during the pandemic - it made the process of choosing a home, moving in and getting settled much more difficult.

"I felt I had abandoned her though I visited as much as I could"

We also heard about a decline in physical health and mobility when people couldn't get out and about, and health professionals like physiotherapists couldn't come into the home as easily. The relatives of those living with dementia noticed a sharp worsening of symptoms and significant cognitive decline.

"Very distressing for my dad as initially he simply didn't understand why nobody was visiting"

What is the legacy of Covid-19 in care homes?

Care homes are still experiencing lockdowns when two cases of Covid are identified in residents and/or staff members. Most of the people we spoke to - residents and their families - don't think blanket policies are the most appropriate approach.

They felt ongoing decisions about Covid-19 should depend on the circumstances - for instance, how many people live in the home? What are the particular health circumstances of the residents living there? There was a strong desire to see increased flexibility in policy-making, which was partly influenced by people's increased comfort levels following widespread Covid vaccination.

Covid is still impacting on care homes in other ways too - several residents, relatives and staff members highlighted a change in the care home environment since the pandemic. They've noticed higher levels of anxiety within the home, and more residents becoming withdrawn:

"People had got used to being in their own room and because of that, now things were better, still kept themselves to themselves. The community element of the home hasn't yet recovered."