The impact of facility and staff characteristics on infection control of COVID-19: Perceptions of elder care home managers in Stockholm, Sweden

Aim: To examine the perceptions of managers of elder care homes on the impact of facility and staff characteristics on infection control of COVID-19. Design: Case study. Methods: Six purposively sampled care home managers in the city of Stockholm were interviewed. Through content analysis, three categories and nine subcategories were identified. Results: According to the interviewed care home managers, a home-like environment that allows for isolation of residents and possibilities for staff to get changed and store personal protective equipment outside each resident's room was considered ideal. Experienced employees were reported as invaluable when facing an infectious outbreak. A mix of permanent and temporary staff was considered essential although some thought that temporary staff who work in multiple care homes might negatively influence the spread of infection. Language barriers among staff were considered an obstacle when trying to disseminate information.