<u>SE</u>eking <u>A</u>nswe<u>R</u>s for <u>C</u>are <u>H</u>omes during the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID SEARCH)
Karen Spilsbury, Reena Devi, Alys Wyn Griffiths, Cyd Akrill, Anita Astle, Claire Goodman, Adam Gordon, Barbara Hanratty, Peter Hodkinson, Fiona Marshall, Julienne Meyer, Carl Thompson
Abstract
The care and support of older people residing in long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic has created new and unanticipated uncertainties for staff. In this short report, we present our analyses of the uncertainties of care home managers and staff expressed in a self-formed closed WhatsApp™ discussion group during the first stages of the pandemic in the UK. We categorised their wide-ranging questions to understand what information would address these uncertainties and provide support. We have been able to demonstrate that almost one-third of these uncertainties could have been tackled immediately through timely, responsive and unambiguous fact-based guidance. The other uncertainties require appraisal, synthesis and summary of existing evidence, commissioning or provision of a sector- informed research agenda for medium to long term. The questions represent wider internationally relevant care home pandemic-related uncertainties.