COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Short-Stay Utilization by Individuals With Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities.

Authors

Hirokazu Yamagishi, Hiroshi Watanabe, Hideo Shimoizumi

Published in

Pediatrics international : official journal of the Japan Pediatric Society. Volume 68. Issue 1. Pages e70505.

Abstract

Respite care, particularly short-stay services, is essential for maintaining the quality of life in children and adults with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) and their caregivers. This study evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on short-stay service utilization by children and adults with SMID.
A retrospective study of individuals (N = 54) who received short-stay services at a medical-type residential facility in Japan between January 2017 and December 2025 was conducted. Utilization was compared across three phases: pre-pandemic (January 2017-December 2019), pandemic (January 2020-April 2023), and post-pandemic (May 2023-December 2025). Participants were categorized into Care and Non-care groups according to their need for intensive home medical care (e.g., ventilator, suctioning).
The total number of utilization days per month was significantly decreased during the pandemic phase (49.4 ± 15.6 days; p < 0.001), but dramatically increased in the post-pandemic phase (92.1 ± 16.3; p < 0.001), compared to pre-pandemic levels (62.1 ± 10.9 days). During the pandemic, the proportion of utilization days in the Care group was significantly increased (91.4% vs. 85.9% pre-pandemic; p = 0.001), indicating persistent and high demand among medically fragile cases. Intra-ward COVID-19 outbreaks were associated with temporary declines in utilization.
The pandemic dynamically altered respite care utilization patterns. The relative maintenance of utilization by the Care group during the pandemic underscores the indispensable nature of these services for families of individuals with high medical needs. The post-pandemic surge suggests accumulated caregiver exhaustion, highlighting the need for robust institutional capacity and infection control to ensure service continuity during future pandemics.

PMID:
42544897
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 03 Aug 2026.

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