opinion: essential care partners much more than visitors

first, the unimaginable death toll itself from covid-19. long-term care and retirement home residents accounted for eight in 10 covid-19-related deaths in canada in canada as of october 2020 — and they continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic.

second, blanket visitor restrictions, which were designed to prevent the transmission of the virus, led to significant unintended distress for many residents, staff, families and friends. essential care partners — which may include family or friends — were often not permitted on site when residents needed them the most.

what’s an essential care partner?
essential care partners are people who provide physical, psychological and emotional support, as deemed important by the long-term care resident. this can include support in decision making, care coordination, and continuity of care (for example, support for minor medical procedures, feeding, ambulation, cognitive stimulation, patient hygiene, medication adherence).

essential care partners can include family members or close friends and are identified by the resident or substitute decision maker. it is estimated that caregivers in canada contribute up to $24 billion in unpaid care to hospital patients, residents in long-term care, home care and other settings.

there is limited evidence about essential care partners, when properly supported, transmitting covid-19 in long-term care homes, but we do know that resident isolation can result in increased depression and anxiety and an overall decline in mental health. residents living with dementia may also show an increase in symptoms.

however, there is clear evidence that the presence of essential care partners benefits patient safety, patient experience, patient outcomes and patient care.

jennifer zelmer and lisa poole. supplied

the absence of essential care partners to support and assist in resident care has also contributed to staff stress and burnout . in some cases, it has been reported that staff cannot consistently provide the level of person-centred care necessary for resident well-being in the absence of essential care partners. this has led to moral distress amongst staff.

recently, the canadian foundation for healthcare improvement (cfhi) and the canadian patient safety institute (cpsi) were amalgamated to create healthcare excellence canada — a new organization focused on improving quality in patient safety and healthcare. as part of our mandate, we have created a resource — created by essential care partners — to help essential care partners safely navigate the current state of long-term care during the pandemic.

we are working with homes and policy-makers on on pragmatic approaches to re-integrate, welcome and engage essential care partners  as part of care teams, during covid-19 and beyond — from setting mutual expectations and education to covid-19 screening protocols and caregiver identification.