Integrating Praxis Through the Research Process: Caregivers for Older Americans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

While applied anthropological research is sometimes envisioned as a linear process, we present an alternative view based on our research with frontline workers providing long-term care (LTC) for older adults during COVID-19. We completed a rapid qualitative assessment in central North Carolina from May to November 2020. We conducted data analysis as we continued to collect data and implemented activities and interventions along the way. We report emerging findings that included the deleterious effects of isolation on older adults in both congregate and community-based LTC, the value of creatively using technology as an avenue for communication and engagement, the importance of leadership and flexibility, as well as an abundance of mental health struggles LTC workers faced in caring for older adults during COVID-19. We present how we were able to address these in a variety of ways during the inductive research process because of iterative analysis that occurred alongside continued data collection.