In my master's thesis I investigate the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand and delivery of social care services at the Lambrecht Home in Slovenske Konjice. My research sought to determine whether demand for services changed during the first wave of the pandemic. I also studied whether the methods of delivery of social services changed; and how those changes both affected service providers and the on-going delivery of care post-pandemic.
My research showed that in April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic officially started in Slovenia the demand for institutional care sharply declined. The number of new admissions fell precipitously as homes suspended the enrollment of new residents.
The results also showed that due to the fear of COVID-19 infection at the Lambrecht Home, social services delivered in people's homes (field work) declined and were limited to users in need of urgent care. Many who had previously utilized these services canceled their appointments to minimize their risk of transmission. Moreover, the assistance which was provided in-home was focused on urgent care only and did not encompass the array of services otherwise given by field workers.
My results further demonstrated that during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lambrecht Home employees faced daily stress due to the increased demands of their work, combined with concerns about contracting the virus from their constant exposure to the virus. The research also revealed that the in-patient users of social care services at Lambrecht's Home received less treatment than they had previously received due to increased safety protocols. In all, my research revealed that the main driver of the changes in both the delivery and receipt of social care services in the Lambrecht Home was the fear of spreading or contracting the COVID-19 virus among patients and relatives.
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