Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted systemic challenges and vulnerabilities of older adults in residential long-term care homes (LTCHs). The United Nations and World Health Organization affirm that fostering active engagement and inclusion of older adults, their families, and staff in the development and implementation of LTC innovations plays a pivotal role in establishing an all-encompassing LTC domain. This international project aimed at understating innovations implemented in LTCHs in four countries (Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, United States) since 2020, and explores the inclusion of end-users in the innovation process. Across all four countries, innovations fell into three categories: product innovations, process innovations, and organizational innovations. Despite these advances, stakeholder involvement was inconsistent. In Canada, family members and staff highlighted barriers such as unclear guidelines, understaffing, and limited resident participation, while emphasizing communication and collaboration as key facilitators. In Switzerland, innovations were often informal and not explicitly recognized, with inclusion focusing mainly on resident activities and decision-making for those without cognitive impairment. In Brazil, residents and families described feeling excluded, pointing to a top-down approach. In the United States, administrators played central roles in driving innovations, while residents and staff had limited influence, although resident councils provided some engagement opportunities. This international comparison underscores that while innovations were critical in ensuring safety and continuity of care in LTC, they were often introduced through hierarchical processes with limited co-design. Greater inclusive, participatory approaches are needed to ensure that residents, families, and staff become co-creators in shaping sustainable, meaningful innovations in LTCHs.
Presenters
Charlene ChuAssociate Professor, Nursing, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada Suzanne Santos
Student, PhD Candidate, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Anja Orschulko
Project Associate, Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Switzerland Sandra Staudacher
SNSF Ambizione Fellow, Department of Public Health, Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt (de), Switzerland Ruth Caldeira De Melo
Associate Professor, School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities , University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Franziska Zúñiga
Assistant Professor, Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt (de), Switzerland Michael Lepore
Professor, Organizational Systems and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Maryland, United States Lisa Cranley
Associate Professor, Nursing, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Public Policy and Public Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Long-term care, innovations, COVID-19, inclusion
