Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

November 25, 2020

Evaluating the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Long-Term Care Residents’ Mental Health: A Data-Driven Approach in New Brunswick

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  • Implementation of lockdown policies was not significantly associated with measures of depression, delirium, or behavioral problems among residents (n=765) of seven long-term care facilities in Canada between January and June. In-person visits and group activities were restricted in March 2020. Strategies to keep residents connected to family included use of iPads for video chatting and scheduling outdoor visits. While the number of residents who had in-person visits with family decreased from 73% before lockdown to 18% during lockdown, the number of residents experiencing delirium and behavioral problems did not change significantly. The proportion of residents with indications of depression decreased from 20% before to 12% during lockdown.

McArthur et al. (Oct 26, 2020). Evaluating the Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Long-Term Care Residents’ Mental Health: A Data-Driven Approach in New Brunswick. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2020.10.028