Bedroom with washing rack and tins of food

During 2020-2021, Covid-19 lockdowns concentrated care and support within people’s homes. The closure of schools, day centres, shops and non-essential services, alongside prohibitions on household mixing, meant that caring work was more contained within households than in normal times. For reasons of health, age or physical frailty, a large number of adults needed support and care to be provided to them at home.

Volunteers, home care workers and carers have been directly engaged in the vitally important work of sustaining people through the crisis, keeping them safe at home by ensuring some of their essential needs (for food, medicines) were met. Many were also providing company and comfort as well as specialist care to people isolated at home. They did this in different ways depending on their role – in person, with PPE, over the phone, or at a safe two meters distance from the front door.

What the study aims to do

Bakewell tart and bacon sandwich on plates

Led by Dr Rosie Read and funded by the British Academy, this qualitative study aims to develop in depth understanding of how carers, volunteers and home care workers experienced giving care and support to people at home during the pandemic.

It also considers the wider social and structural contexts which shape these experiences, by examining local government, adult social care and voluntary and community sector responses to pandemic. The project focuses on the areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole (BCP) and Dorset in south-west England.

Research partner

Related news

19/07/2024

Our Digital Lives - ESRC Festival of Social Sciences

This year the national ESRC Festival of Social Sciences theme is 'Our Digital Lives'. For the festival, ÃÛÌÒAV is supporting events that will run between Saturday October 19th and Saturday November 9th. Jayne Caudwell and Frankie Gaunt in the Department of Social Sciences and Social Work were awarded up to £1,000 to hold an event in the festival. Their event is an art exhibition focused on "Communities of Positive Well-Being: The Digital Lives of LGBTQ+ Young People".