Source avec lien : Canadian Journal on Aging = La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement, (Prépublication). 10.1017/S0714980821000507
Cette étude a permis de documenter la prestation de services et les problèmes vécus par les organismes communautaires soutenant les personnes âgées et les aidants dans la province de Québec pendant la pandémie de coronavirus (COVID-19), ainsi que les stratégies prometteuses pour adapter la prestation de services dans ce contexte.
This study documented the provision of services and issues experienced by community organizations supporting older adults and caregivers in the province of Quebec during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as promising strategies to adapt the provision of services in this context. A cross-sectional electronic survey using open- and closed-ended questions was conducted in July 2020. Almost three-quarters of the 307 respondents (71.4%) reported having maintained services at least partially throughout the lockdown, and the majority (85.3%) adapted their services. Among key challenges, participants reported difficulties identifying and supporting older adults at greater risk of vulnerability (54.8%), managing health risks for service users (60.2%), and recruiting volunteers (59.5%). Promising strategies included strategies to reach out to older adults and understand their needs (e.g., systematic phone calls) in addition to direct interventions supporting them (e.g., activities promoting social ties); implementing prevention and protection measures; accessing and using technologies; human resources management (e.g., recruiting new volunteers); finding financial support for their organization; developing intersectoral partnerships (e.g., multisectoral crisis cell); and promoting a positive view of older adults. The integration of multiple perspectives from different stakeholders may help identify strategies potentially transferable to other crises in order to meet older adults’ needs.