Analyzing Communication Strategies Used in Long Term Care Facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick, Canada

Purpose: Effective communication is a key component to managing an event such as a global pandemic. In Canada, federal/provincial reports indicated that effective communication was a challenge in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine the communication stra...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of primary care & community health 2022-01, Vol.13, p.21501319221138426-21501319221138426
Main Author: Durkee-Lloyd, Janet L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Communication
Communication strategies
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Long term care insurance
Long term health care
Long term hospitals
Original Research
Pandemics
Relatives
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Summary:Purpose: Effective communication is a key component to managing an event such as a global pandemic. In Canada, federal/provincial reports indicated that effective communication was a challenge in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine the communication strategies used within long term care facilities in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Methods: Online surveys were used to collect data from administrators, staff, and individuals with family members living in long-term care facilities. Results: The findings show an overall satisfaction with the information received by staff and families, however the frequency and format in which information was communicated were inconsistent. All participants indicated that too much information and poor quality information was a challenge. The importance of digital platforms to provide COVID-19 information was consistently identified as a successful communication strategy. Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal that the quantity and quality of information provided during the pandemic created challenges for administrators, staff, and families. This is in line with reports from Canadian provincial/federal reports on COVID-19 and long-term care. Recommendations have been made that would benefit the long-term care sector, not only for pandemics, but for communication in general.
ISSN:2150-1319
2150-1327
DOI:10.1177/21501319221138426