The Pandemic and Mental Health in LTC: Assessing the Impact, Searching for a Path Forward

The year 2020 brought many changes to assisted living and long-term care communities that staff, residents, and families were not prepared for. In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic infiltrated senior living spaces and brought medical challenges, isolation, and emotional trauma. Residents went through quarantine periods and social withdrawal to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but tragically some communities still experienced a death rate as high as 50%. The impact of losing friends, the fear of contracting the virus, and the lack of connection with loved ones have led to psychiatric problems in older adults that have yet to be resolved or even addressed.