eprintid: 10134007 rev_number: 19 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/10/13/40/07 datestamp: 2021-09-09 08:55:19 lastmod: 2022-07-29 15:42:16 status_changed: 2021-09-09 08:55:19 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Bhome, R creators_name: Huntley, J creators_name: Dalton-Locke, C creators_name: San Juan, NV creators_name: Oram, S creators_name: Foye, U creators_name: Livingston, G title: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults mental health services: A mixed methods study ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: C07 divisions: D79 divisions: D07 divisions: F86 keywords: COVID-19, dementia care, mental health services, mental health staff, older adults, mental health, pandemic note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. abstract: Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on older adults mental health care. Our study aimed to explore staff perspectives on key challenges and innovations in order to help inform the delivery of older adults mental health care in subsequent waves of the pandemic. // Methods: A mixed methods online questionnaire developed by National Institute for Health Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit was used to gather staff perspectives on their challenges at work, problems faced by service users and their carers, and sources of help and support. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative analysis and descriptive content analysis for qualitative analysis. // Results: 158 participants, working in either community or inpatient settings, and from a range of professional disciplines, were included. For inpatient staff, a significant challenge was infection control. In the community, staff identified a lack of access to physical and social care as well as reduced contact with friends and families as being challenges for patients. Remote working was seen as a positive innovation along with COVID-19 related guidance from various sources and peer support. // Conclusion: Our study, with a focus on staff and patient well-being, helps to inform service development for future waves of the pandemic. We discuss measures to improve infection control in inpatient settings, the role of voluntary organisations in supporting socially isolated community patients, the need for better integration of physical and mental health services at an organisational level, and the importance of training staff to support patients and their families with end of life planning. date: 2021-11 date_type: published publisher: WILEY official_url: https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5596 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1876276 doi: 10.1002/gps.5596 lyricists_name: Bhome, Rohan lyricists_name: Dalton-Locke, Christian lyricists_name: Huntley, Jonathan lyricists_name: Livingston, Gillian lyricists_id: RBHOM78 lyricists_id: CTDAL99 lyricists_id: JHUNT57 lyricists_id: GALIV58 actors_name: Dalton-Locke, Christian actors_id: CTDAL99 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry volume: 36 number: 11 pagerange: 1748-1758 pages: 11 issn: 1099-1166 citation: Bhome, R; Huntley, J; Dalton-Locke, C; San Juan, NV; Oram, S; Foye, U; Livingston, G; (2021) Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults mental health services: A mixed methods study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry , 36 (11) pp. 1748-1758. 10.1002/gps.5596 <https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5596>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10134007/1/Impact%20of%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic%20on%20Older%20Adults%20Mental%20Health%20Services%20a%20mixed%20methods%20study_IJGP_Upload.pdf