Factors Associated With the Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Authors

• Matthias Hoben, Faculty of Health
• Emily Dymchuk, University of Alberta
• Kyle Corbett, University of Alberta
• Rashmi Devkota, University of Alberta
• Shovana Shrestha, University of Alberta
• Jenny Lam, University of Alberta
• Sube Banerjee, Faculty of Health
• Stephanie A. Chamberlain, University of Alberta
• Greta G. Cummings, University of Alberta
• Malcolm B. Doupe, University of Manitoba
• Yinfei Duan, University of Alberta
• Janice Keefe, Mount Saint Vincent University
• Hannah M. O'Rourke, University of Alberta
• Seyedehtanaz Saeidzadeh, University of Alberta
• Yuting Song, University of Alberta
• Carole A. Estabrooks, University of Alberta

ORCID

• Sube Banerjee: 0000-0002-8083-7649

Abstract

Objectives: Quality of life (QoL) of nursing home (NH) residents is critical, yet understudied, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to examine whether COVID-19 outbreaks, lack of access to geriatric professionals, and care aide burnout were associated with NH residents' QoL. Design: Cross-sectional study (July to December 2021). Setting and Participants: We purposefully selected 9 NHs in Alberta, Canada, based on their COVID-19 exposure (no or minor/short outbreaks vs repeated or extensive outbreaks). We included data for 689 residents from 18 care units. Methods: We used the DEMQOL-CH to assess resident QoL through video-based care aide interviews. Independent variables included a COVID-19 outbreak in the NH in the past 2 weeks (health authority records), care unit-levels of care aide burnout (9-item short-form Maslach Burnout Inventory), and resident access to geriatric professionals (validated facility survey). We ran mixed-effects regression models, adjusted for facility and care unit (validated surveys), and resident covariates (Resident Assessment Instrument–Minimum Data Set 2.0). Results: Recent COVID-19 outbreaks (β = 0.189; 95% CI: 0.058–0.320), higher proportions of emotionally exhausted care aides on a care unit (β = 0.681; 95% CI: 0.246–1.115), and lack of access to geriatric professionals (β = 0.216; 95% CI: 0.003–0.428) were significantly associated with poorer resident QoL. Conclusions and Implications: Policies aimed at reducing infection outbreaks, better supporting staff, and increasing access to specialist providers may help to mitigate how COVID-19 has negatively affected NH resident QoL.

DOI Link

10.1016/j.jamda.2023.03.033

Publication Date

2023-01-01

Publication Title

Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Volume

24

Issue

6

ISSN

1525-8610

Deposit Date

2026-06-08

Additional Links

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85159605440

Keywords

burnout, COVID-19, dementia, geriatric health services, nursing homes, Quality of life

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Hoben, M., Dymchuk, E., Corbett, K., Devkota, R., Shrestha, S., Lam, J., Banerjee, S., Chamberlain, S., Cummings, G., Doupe, M., Duan, Y., Keefe, J., O'Rourke, H., Saeidzadeh, S., Song, Y., & Estabrooks, C. (2023) 'Factors Associated With the Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study', Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 24(6). Available at: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.03.033