Understanding and reducing the psychosocial impact of Coronavirus social distancing and behavioural changes on families of care home residents in Scotland

Government-led mandates to contain coronavirus have had immediate unplanned impact on older care home residents and their relatives and friends. Social distancing has placed care and end of life care behind closed doors and family proximity is only possible through collaborative effort. We will investigate immediate and long-term psychosocial implications, including complex grief associated with these disrupted relationships on family carers. We will identify, describe and share creative solutions and innovative uses of technologies helping to sustain contact, intimacy and togetherness. Importantly these discoveries and lessons will be of immediate value and the project legacy will provide evidence of how to support psychosocial isolation in care homes for the future.