Experts conclude the role of organizational form in COVID-19 infections and deaths in residential care centers

Residential care centers that work with smaller living groups with permanent care teams have remarkably fewer people who have been infected or died from COVID-19. This applies not only to the residents, but also to the employees. Researchers from KU Leuven and Radboud University in the Netherlands have come to this conclusion.

Commissioned by the Flemish Minister of Welfare, Public Health and Family, Hilde Crevits, and in collaboration with various civil society organizations (employers’ umbrella organisations, trade unions and elderly care organisations), the researchers drew up a survey. They asked about the organizational structure of residential care centers and their services and care before and during the corona crisis. A total of 318 managements of residential care centers completed the survey. These data were compared to the COVID-19 data from the Agency for Care and Health. “The results are clear,” says assistant professor Lander Vermeerbergen (KU Leuven/Radboud University). “We expected an effect, but the clarity of the figures surprised us.”

“The results are clear. We expected an effect, but the clarity of the figures surprised us.”
Lander Vermeerbergen (KU Leuven/Radboud University)

Four characteristics are decisive
Four work organizational characteristics are associated with fewer COVID-19 infections: the size of the living group, the size of the location, the breadth of the employee’s task packages and finally, the way in which care teams are composed and assigned to living groups.

“In residential care centers with only living groups smaller than 17 residents, there was an average share of 17.5 percent infection, in residential care centers with large living groups of more than 32 residents, this was 27.5 percent,” says researcher Eveline Teppers (HIVA-KU Leuven). ). “The number of residents who died due to COVID-19 is 2.5 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively.”

But the tasks of employees and the size of the establishment of residential care centers are also crucial.

“The research shows that there have been fewer infections in residential care centers with permanent multidisciplinary care teams per living group than in residential care centers that work with mono- or multidisciplinary care teams for several living groups,” says Professor Geert Van Hootegem (KU Leuven)

At the same time, this research shows that an approach with smaller living groups and permanent multidisciplinary teams creates a more homely atmosphere in times of a pandemic. Although, of course, the COVID restrictions also weighed in here. Domestic habits such as preparing meals in the living room and doing laundry in the home were rare in COVID-19 times. Previous research conducted by the researchers already showed an increased workability of the job of healthcare personnel in such healthcare settings.

Organization
Many residential care centers have already responded to this during the corona crisis and have implemented impressive organizational changes during the first waves of the pandemic. In the survey, 80 percent of the boards say they have worked with permanent teams per living group. 40 percent say they have made the living groups smaller. However, the majority indicate that they have only applied this temporarily.

Moving to a more innovative organization is crucial in the fight against future pandemics. At the same time, it is a far-reaching change process and a long-term process, emphasizes Lander Vermeerbergen: “In addition to the will and motivation to do things differently, sufficient framework, resources, space and time are required to make (permanent) changes in the organizational structure possible. .”

“In addition to the will and motivation to do things differently, sufficient framework, resources, space and time are needed to make (permanent) changes in the organizational structure possible.”
Lander Vermeerbergen (KU Leuven/Radboud University)

And this is also underlined by Flemish Minister of Welfare, Public Health and Family, Hilde Crevits: “COVID-19 has had a major impact on life and care in our residential care centers. We have been striving for small-scale initiatives and innovation in the work organization of care and welfare facilities for some time now. The results of this study underline the importance of this in terms of housing as well as for the care and health of residents and employees. We will therefore continue to work on this together with the sector.”