Improving End-of-Life Care for People with Dementia in LTC Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Sharon Kaasalainen; Lynn Mccleary; Shirin Vellani; Jose Pereira

doi:10.5770/cgj.24.493

Improving End-of-Life Care for People with Dementia in LTC Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Can Geriatr J. 2021 Sep 1;24(3):164-169. doi: 10.5770/cgj.24.493. eCollection 2021 Sep.

Authors

Sharon Kaasalainen¹, Lynn Mccleary², Shirin Vellani³, Jose Pereira^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
² Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Nursing, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON.
³ KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON.
⁴ Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
⁵ Pallium Canada, Ottawa, ON.

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in deaths in long-term care homes (LTCH). People with dementia living in LTCHs represent one of the most frail and marginalized populations in Canada. The surge of COVID-19 cases in LTCHs and rationing of health-care resources during the pandemic have amplified the pre-existing need for improvements in palliative and end-of-life care in LTCHs. This position statement, created by a task force commissioned by the Alzheimer Society of Canada, provides recommendations for a multipronged coordinated approach to improving palliative and end-of-life care of people with dementia living in LTCHs during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Keywords: COVID-19; dementia; end-of-life; long-term care; palliative approach.