This webinar will explore emerging evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people who provide unpaid care. We will start by hearing about the personal experience of a carer, Jackie Powell, who will explain how the lockdown (and loss of services) has affected her and her husband who has early onset dementia. This will be followed by an overview of the international evidence of impact on carers so far. We’ll then have an overview of ongoing studies, with an opportunity to share experiences on study design and recruitment, and, finally, we’ll hear about the findings from a survey of unpaid carers of people living with dementia during the pandemic, in India.
Programme:
Introduction to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns on unpaid carers:
The impact of the lockdown and the suspension of services on people living with dementia and their carers
Jackie Powell, care partner to her husband who has early onset dementia, and whose experience has been reported in this article: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/people/it-was-he-fell-cliff-devastating-effect-lockdown-leeds-dementia-sufferer-aged-just-57-2927746
Impact of the pandemic on unpaid carers so far, and measures adopted to support them (International)
Dr Klara Lorenz-Dant, Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science
Research currently underway: quick overview of ongoing studies on the impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown on carers
Coping with loneliness, isolation and COVID-19 – hearing the voice of carers (International)
Professor Iracema Leroi, Trinity College Dublin and Global Brain Health Institute, study link: http://publichealth.ie/clic/
How has COVID 19 affected the quality of life, wellbeing, and care of people diagnosed with dementia and their family carers? A nested Time for Dementia sub study (UK)
Nicolas Farina, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Law 4 Dementia Carers – understanding the impact of legal issues for carers of people with dementia during the pandemic
Karen Greenhalgh and Lena O’Connell, tide (together in dementia everyday).
Domestic Care in Times of Corona (Germany)
Moritz Hess, University of Bremen
Caring from a Distance: using new and familiar means of keeping in touch with family and friends in care homes during COVID-19 (UK)
Caroline White, Social and Psychological Research in Long Term Conditions (SPARC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, study link: https://hull.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/caring-from-a-distance-care-home-survey
Findings from India:
Experiences and needs of caregivers of persons with dementia in India during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sridhar Vaitheswaran, Dementia Care in SCARF – DEMCARES, Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) India
Q&A
Further discussion will take place between 15.00-15.30 to allow for discussion to continue after the presentations for those who can continue after 15.00.
The webinar will be recorded and the video will be shared on LTCcovid.org.
Registration is free at: