COVID-19 and Nursing Homes in Decentralized Spain: How Governance and Public Policies Influence Working Conditions and Organizational Responses to the Crisis

Abstract

How did long-term care (LTC) policies and the governance model affect the working conditions of nursing home workers in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic? Herein, we rely on the qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews and document analysis to answer the research question. The results suggest that the discoordination between health and social services, the underfunding of the LTC system, and the absence of legislative initiatives have harmed caregivers' labour and employment conditions and the effectiveness of managing the crisis. These findings are relevant as they expose the implications of the territorial structure of the welfare and sectoral public policies in managing a crisis.