Sector encouraged to take part in new COVID-19 impact survey

A new research project has been launched to understand the impact of COVID-19 in older people’s care homes and the workforce.

The National Care Forum (NCF) is involved in the research project and is working with Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick and University College London. The project has received public funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

The study is exploring the following areas in particular:

• How people’s work in older people’s care homes has changed during the pandemic.
• How well supported the older people’s care home workforce felt during the pandemic.
• How well supported older people’s care homes felt during the pandemic.

David Rowland, the director of the independent thinktank, the Centre for Health and the Public Interest, said, ‘The financial pressures felt by the care home sector have been exacerbated during COVID-19. First, we saw falling occupancy levels and increasing costs. More recently, new challenges such as rising inflation emerged. It is important for policymakers and local authorities to understand and respond to these in a timely manner. With this research, we are analysing the financial risk borne by the sector as well as studying how these affect staff on the frontlines through a survey and in-depth interviews.’

NCF said it is very important that the perspectives and experiences of those working in and managing older people’s care homes are captured and said the voice of those on the frontline is essential in understanding the different ways in which COVID-19 has impacted on you all.

To complete the survey click HERE