“We Weathered the Storm”: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experience of Assisted Living Administrators During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The purpose of the current qualitative phenomenological study is to learn about the lived experiences of assisted living (AL) community administrators during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Little is known about how administrators coped with the ever-changing mandates (e.g., visitation, testing, communal activities, acceptance of COVID-positive residents). Semi-structured interviews with AL administrators were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for meaning and essence using a modified Giorgi's approach. Data analysis showed that administrators experienced a multitude of feelings and actions related to the well-being of staff, residents, and residents' families. Findings also identified the complexity of the constant changes, including limited resources and policy changes, of the AL administrators' lived experiences during the pandemic. Results from this study can inform policies and strategies for providing care to this often-overlooked population of older adults. [ Research in Gerontological Nursing, 15 (4), 164–171.]