Residents of long term care facilities (LTCFs) and their professional caregivers have been hit hard by the coronavirus. During the COVID-19 outbreak, many countries imposed national visitor-bans for LTCFs. In the Netherlands, the ban was in place from 20 March 2020 onwards and ended (partly) on 15 June 2020. The usual meaningful and pleasant day structure that is created through organized (group) activities, was heavily impacted by the visitor ban. It remains unclear which particular types of activities were stopped, whether ‘alternative’ activities were introduced that may acquire a structural character in the future, and how this affected care workers.

We conducted online questionnaire research among LTCF residents, family members and care professionals at two time points; six weeks after the visitor-ban was implemented (T1) and one week after the ban was (partly) lifted (T2). The three groups received questionnaires on the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak and the restrictive measures in place. Respondents were recruited independently for each measurement. This study only uses care professionals’ data. The influence of the up- and downscaling of activities on care professionals’ burden and ability to provide care was investigated using multivariate multiple linear regression.

811 professionals completed the questionnaire during T1 and 324 care workers during T2. A decrease in regular group activities during the visitor-ban was reported. Especially exercise activities, creative activities and music activities were undertaken less frequently. Also domestic activities, such as eating together and watching television, took place less frequently as compared to before the visitor-ban.

Activities that could be easily done on the unit, with sufficient social distance, were undertaken more frequently, such as music activities, conversations and playing games in the living room. The impact of the up- and downscaling of activities on care professional burden, and the perceived ability to provide adequate care, will be presented.

Activities are an important means for residents of long term care facilities for obtaining pleasure and giving a meaningful structure to the day. Future lessons can be learned from the adjustments that had to be made in the range of activities offered during the visitor-ban.