ABSTRACT
Since December 2019, COVID-19 has spurred rapid and extensive research, but this research has focused on some perspectives with others understudied. In particular, studies have not yet explored the complexities of community-dwelling older adults’ lived experiences during the pandemic. This study aimed to address this gap. Community-dwelling older adults living in Central Texas (N = 200;age, 65–92 years, M = 73.6± 6.33) responded to open- and closed-ended questions over the telephone during June–August 2020. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. We identified three key themes. (1) Positive experiences, with 4 subthemes: perception that the pandemic has not changed one’s lifestyle;adjusting well—particularly with the aid of technology;being positive in perspective;and a “loner advantage” (being a “loner” pre-pandemic was advantageous during the pandemic). (2) Mixed experiences, with 4 subthemes: doing okay but unhappy about changing lifestyle routines;doing okay but unhappy about loss of in-person interactions with family and friends;doing okay but frustrated by witnessing absence of social distancing or facemask use by others;and maintaining physical health with fluctuating symptoms of depression or anxiety. (3) Negative experiences, with 3 subthemes: bitter about others/society/government not caring for older adults;feeling isolated, bored, and powerless;and worsening as time goes by. A thematic map was subsequently developed. These findings reveal the complexities of community-dwelling older adults’ lived experiences, illustrating effective coping and resilience during the pandemic and dissatisfaction owing to the pandemic’s effects on their lives and to their observations of others’ behaviors.
ABSTRACT
Older adults, disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, face health, social and structural vulnerabilities. Their experiences require systematic examination. Our study aimed to examine factors predicting community-dwelling older adults’ experiences during COVID-19. We collected data via the telephone between June-August 2020 from a convenience sample of older adults in Central Texas (N= 200;age range=65-92 years;Mean=73.6, SD=6.33). We conducted multinomial logistic regression analyses to model relationships between self-reported COVID-19 experiences (positive, mixed, negative) and age, gender, race, income, education, frequency of communication with family and friends, feelings of loneliness and amount of COVID-19 information obtained. Factorial analysis revealed no statistically significant interaction effect. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant main effects of annual household income, feelings of loneliness and amount of COVID-19 information obtained on predicting COVID-19 experiences. Age, gender, race, education, and frequency of communication with family and friends were not significant predictors. The odds of having a positive COVID-19 experience rather than negative experiences increased by 6.94 for an annual household of $60,000- $99,999, and by 6.02 for not feeling lonely. The odds of having a positive experience during COVID-19 rather than mixed increased by 9.90 for an annual household income of $100,000 or more. Participants who reported having “too much information” about COVID-19 were more likely to have mixed experiences compared to those with positive experiences. Our findings underscore the crucial role of financial security and social connections in reducing economic and emotional challenges older adults are facing during this crisis.
ABSTRACT
Increasing research is investigating the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on older adults, but relatively little is known about the complexities of community-dwelling older adults' lived experiences during this historical period. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by taking a bottom-up, theory-generating, inductive approach. Older adults living in Central Texas (N = 200; age, 65-92 years, M = 73.6 ± 6.33) responded to a telephone interview during June-August 2020. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. We identified three key themes: positive, mixed, and negative experiences, with a total of 11 subthemes. A thematic map was developed, illustrating potential connections to mental health. These findings reveal the complexities of older adults' lived experiences during COVID-19 and have implications for developing aging-related policies and community-based interventions during future public health crises. Recognizing the complexities of older adults' lived experiences, tailored policies and interventions can be developed to effectively leverage older adults' effective coping and resilience while at the same time helping overcome negative effects among specific subgroups.