Locked-In: The dangers of health service captivity and cessation for older adults and their carers during COVID-19

Abstract

Focusing on the government-led health service in the UK, this paper explores the experiences of family caregivers, responsible for co-ordinating the healthcare of older adults experiencing vulnerability during the pandemic. Data were collected through a 6-month covert netnography, culminating in 322 relevant forum topics and 2607 posts. The findings reveal that both ageing consumers and their carers experience service captivity, which leads to vulnerability. Furthermore, older adults experience vulnerability most when service cessation occurs, involving premature discharge from hospital, eviction from care homes and in-home caregivers withdrawing services, leaving the consumer without an essential health service. Recommendations are made to health service organisations to aid in preventing service captivity and cessation in government-led health services, especially during times of crisis.