Evaluation of the approach to the COVID-19 crisis and policy recommendations for the organization of elderly care. (R-11245)

The COVID-19 pandemic is an urgent and important threat to global healthcare. In the spring of 2019, the elderly population turned out to be a particularly vulnerable group, given that half of all COVID-19 deaths in Flanders occurred in residential care centres. The objective of this project is to formulate policy recommendations after analysis of the healthcare structure around the geriatric patient and its operationalization during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology consists of different phases. In a first phase, the policy on elderly care in residential facilities will be described. Subsequently, networks will be analysed in order to describe transmural collaboration, also taking into account the experiences of care professionals involved. This project is a collaboration between UHasselt, PXL university of applied sciences and arts and University College Leuven-Limburg. The project is financed by Steunpunt Welzijn, Volksgezondheid en Gezin (SWVG EF70b).

Keywords:Covid-19, elderly care, Health Polilcy, Patient Safety

Disciplines:Public health care not elsewhere classified, Epidemiology