The LTCcovid International Living report is a “wiki-style” report addressing 68 questions on characteristics of Long-Term Care (LTC) systems, impacts of COVID-19 on LTC, measures adopted to mitigate these impacts and new reforms countries are adopting to address structural problems in LTC systems and to improved preparedness for future events. It is compiled and updated voluntarily by experts on LTC all over the world. Members of the Social Care COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery project are moderating the entries and editing as needed.

The report can be read by question/topic (below) or by country: COVID-19 and Long-Term Care country profiles.

For more details please click here

This guidance is based on regularly reviewed clinical advice.

This guidance covers:

• visits that should happen in all circumstances
• safe visiting practices
• when different visiting arrangements are needed
• sources of information and support

This guidance applies to residential care homes. There is separate guidance for supported living and extra care settings.

For more information click here

“The seminar enabled three research teams to share their findings from recently completed studies delivered by researchers (@livinginhope @EWolverson @SallyBlonde1 @carolinannwhite @dist_care @HinsliffK @Jayne_NurseProf @SarahCGriffiths @SALTY_LTC).  All three studies, two conducted in the UK (at Hull and DMU) and one based in Atlantic Canada, had one central theme; to understand the experiences of the care home sector during the pandemic and imposed lockdowns or lockouts.”

To access the 5 key messages and 4 overarching recommendations drawn from these studies click here

LTC Covid invite contributors to the LTC Covid International Living Report to present on:

• Lessons learnt from the experience in their country or region and on the reforms that are being considered to address ongoing challenges
• Present research findings on COVID-19 and Long-Term Care
• Cross-national studies on key topics such as workforce pressures, care home visits, vaccination policies in the long-term care sector, etc.

Please email Adelina Comas-Herrera at a.comas@lse.ac.uk if you would like to present.

The workshop will be recorded and the video will be shared on LTCcovid.org.

6th December, 9am to 6pm (UK time, BST)

Registration is free

For more details please click here

The report, Ambitions for change: Improving healthcare in care homes, describes how healthcare is currently provided in these diverse settings, which range from small privately-owned care homes to large purpose-built homes run by care home chains. The COVID pandemic created extraordinary challenges for care homes, and this report argues that government, commissioners, care home providers and other stakeholders must now ensure that the structures, support and skills are consistently in place to ensure care home residents have access to the same standard of healthcare as other citizens.

To read more click here

“Our small team (Dr Holly Blake, Dr Wendy Jones and myself) within the University of Nottingham’s School of Health Sciences along with an international peer review panel have developed and released the digital training package. 

This training package has been developed for health and care professionals, and healthcare students with the aim of increasing understanding of the COVID-19 vaccine and provide a resource that will help them to explain to patients and clients why COVID-19 vaccine uptake is important for individual and societal health.

 Here is a link to the CoVE Package: COVID-19 Vaccine Education training package hosted on HELM Open Repository:

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/helmopen/rlos/practice-learning/public-health/CoVE/ “

Sample training package pages:

Ageing and Health: Lessons from COVID 19 

Fri, 21 May 2021, 15:00 – 16:30 BST

“The older population has been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. Older adults are at a considerably higher risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19 and of dying from the disease. Several countries have reported that 50% or more of their COVID-19 related deaths have occurred in care and nursing homes, raising questions about how long-term care facilities could have better protected their residents. Many older people also face specific challenges related to the societal response to the pandemic. Lockdowns and social distancing requirements may make it more difficult for older people to get the care that they need. Older people living on their own may be at particularly high risk of social isolation and loneliness and the associated detrimental effects on physical and mental health due to lockdown policies. People living with dementia likely face a higher risk of contracting the disease as well as suffering from social distancing and visitors’ bans, as their cognitive impairments may prevent them from understanding and following infection control guidelines or to understand why they are not seeing their loved ones.

This session is dedicated to examining the different ways in which older people have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the appropriate legal and political avenues for addressing the issues faced by older people.”

For more details please click here

Department of Health and Social Care Guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce

Advice for those working in adult social care on managing your mental health and how employers can take care of the wellbeing of their staff during the coronavirus outbreak.

This guidance is for anyone who works in adult social care. It provides advice on how you can manage your personal mental health in the current circumstances.

It also provides adult social care employers with guidance, tools and advice on how to take care of the wellbeing of staff at work.

Read more here

NHS England

Keeping care home residents safe

Mais House is a small care home in coastal Bexhill for residents with a military service connection. This case study explores how the homes nursing team maintained a COVID-safe and COVID-free environment for all staff, residents and visiting family members throughout the first wave of the pandemic – despite community rates of COVID-19 staying high within its local area during this time.

Key learnings from a nurse-led COVID-safe and COVID-free care home environment:

·         Building the capacity of the core nursing and support team has been vital to resident outcomes and staff wellbeing.

·         Training and support to develop skills across the nursing and support teams has underpinned the resilience of care in the home, taking pressure off community services and reducing admissions.

·         Leadership and support for the team to deliver the highest standard of care.

To read more click here