Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32674816›Full record

ArticleJournal of the American Medical Directors Association2020

Allowing Visitors Back in the Nursing Home During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Dutch National Study Into First Experiences and Impact on Well-Being.

Hilde Verbeek, Debby L Gerritsen, Ramona Backhaus, Bram S de Boer, Raymond T C M Koopmans, Jan P H Hamers

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 110 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
110citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

110 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Nursing home visitor policy and COVID-19 infection rates.American journal of infection control · 2025
    Article
  10. Variations in State Essential Caregiver Programs for Nursing Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2025
    Article
  11. Article
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  15. Review
  16. Family Involvement in the Care of Nursing Home Residents With Dementia: A Scoping Review.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2024
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Informal care at old age at home and in nursing homes: determinants and economic value.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2024
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  19. Article
  20. Article

50 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hilde VerbeekDepartment of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Living Lab in Ageing and Long-Term Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: h.verbeek@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
Debby L GerritsenDepartment of primary and community care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Ramona BackhausDepartment of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Living Lab in Ageing and Long-Term Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Bram S de BoerDepartment of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Living Lab in Ageing and Long-Term Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Raymond T C M KoopmansDepartment of primary and community care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Joachim and Anna, Center for specialized geriatric care, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Jan P H HamersDepartment of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Living Lab in Ageing and Long-Term Care, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo prevent and control COVID-19 infections, nursing homes across the world have taken very restrictive measures, including a ban for visitors. These restrictive measures have an enormous impact on residents' well-being and pose dilemmas for staff, although primary data are lacking. A Dutch guideline was developed to cautiously open nursing homes for visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports the first findings on how the guideline was applied in the local context; the compliance to local protocols; and the impact on well-being of residents, their family caregivers, and staff.

designA mixed-methods cross-sectional study was conducted. SETTING AND

participantsIn total, 26 nursing homes were permitted to enlarge their possibilities for allowing visitors in their facility. These nursing homes were proportionally representative of the Netherlands as they were selected by their local Area Health Authority for participation. At each nursing home, a contact person was selected for participation in the current study.

methodsA mixed-methods cross-sectional study was conducted, consisting of questionnaire, telephone interviews, analyses of documentation (ie, local visiting protocols), and a WhatsApp group.

resultsVariation in local protocols was observed, for example, related to the use of personal protective equipment, location, and supervision of visits. In general, experiences were very positive. All nursing homes recognized the added value of real and personal contact between residents and their loved ones and indicated a positive impact on well-being. Compliance with local guidelines was sufficient to good. No new COVID-19 infections were reported during this time. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results indicate the value of family visitation in nursing homes and positive impact of visits. Based on these results, the Dutch government has decided to allow all nursing homes in the Netherlands to cautiously open their homes using the guidelines. More research is needed on impact and long-term compliance.

Indexed as

Guidelines as TopicAgedAged, 80 and overCoronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19Cross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGeriatric AssessmentGuideline AdherenceHomes for the AgedHumansInfection ControlMaleNetherlandsNursing HomesPandemicscomplianceCOVID-19dementiafamilyguidelinepolicy

Identifiers

PMID32674816
PMCPMC7294280

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.