ABSTRACT
Introduction: Adaptiveness fosters resilience through increasing capacity to transcend barriers in individuals, their environment and occupational engagement. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown may have decreased adaptiveness in older adults by disrupting occupational engagement, thus negatively influencing health and well-being. Methods: A qualitative, meta-analytic design was used to explore the adaptiveness of older adults to disruptions experienced during South Africa's COVID-19 lockdown. Four student researchers' primary studies were reviewed and findings synthesised for this paper. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants during April and May 2020. The transcripts were analysed thematically and reported in the primary studies. The authors conducted thematic analysis across all four primary studies to develop themes for this paper. Findings: Three dominant themes emerged: (1) COVID-19 as an illness, (2) occupational disruptions experienced by older adults, and (3) developing a state of adaptiveness. Older adults developed adaptiveness through changing perspective, adapting to new environments, learning to use technology, expanding roles and routines, and strengthening the spiritual self through engagement in eudemonic occupations. Conclusions: The study provides insights into challenges and adaptiveness of older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown. Findings inform interventions with older adults presenting with reduced adaptiveness. Implications for practice This study is valuable as it provides occupational therapists with a deeper understanding of older adults' experiences and challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown, thus, laying the potential for strengthening client-therapist interpersonal relationships. Although the sample observed in this study was older adults, the findings can be considered among other vulnerable clients such as individuals with disease, illness and/or disability. Additionally, these findings may provide occupational therapists with insights that can assist in framing intervention strategies for clients with a decreased state of adaptiveness. This is significant as adaptation requires reasonable social, emotional, and cognitive processes. Lastly, this study aimed to contribute to a wealth of research exploring adaptiveness, rooted in the reality that change is inexorable;however, how we respond to change can be transformative for individual and population well-being.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global human ecosystem disruption affecting almost every facet of daily living. South Africa adopted a risk-adjusted approach comprising five-levels to curb the spread of COVID-19. Early in 2020, the country experienced level 5 and 4 restrictions, indicating high COVID-19 spread with low to moderate health system readiness. South Africans were largely confined to their homes. This study explored young adults' experiences of leisure engagement during the confinement, adaptations made, and the influence on health and well-being. Thirteen occupational therapy student researchers conducted individual qualitative, exploratory-descriptive studies on young adults' leisure experiences during the level 5 and 4 confinements. The authors used a qualitative meta-analytic approach to review the student researchers' primary studies and synthesize findings for this paper. The sample comprised 65 participants aged 18 to 32 years (mean age 22.2 years), the majority being either students or employed. Participants were interviewed online or submitted written responses to open-ended questions focusing on their leisure engagement during the confinement. Relevant data were extracted from the primary studies and analyzed thematically. Four themes emerged: 1) disruption, 2) time, 3) adaptations to change, and 4) leisure benefits. Although participants experienced the confinement as disruptive, and restricting their leisure and social engagement, they adapted and developed new leisure occupations, which had a positive influence on their health and well-being. In conclusion, the young adults dealt with the occupational injustices of confinement by adapting their leisure engagement, thus displaying occupational resilience, which positively influenced health and well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Chinese) COVID-19 -, COVID-19 2020 , 5 4 , COVID-19 , 13 5 4 , 65 18 32 ( 22.2 ),,:1),2),3) , 4) ,,,,,, (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (French) TITRE "Cette pandemie a change notre vie quotidienne" : Les experiences de loisir des jeunes adultes lors de la pandemie de COVID-19 en Afrique du Sud RESUME La pandemie de COVID-19 perturbe l'ecosysteme humain mondial, affectant presque toutes les facettes de la vie quotidienne. L'Afrique du Sud a adopte une approche ajustee au risque comprenant cinq niveaux d'interventions pour freiner la propagation du COVID-19. Au debut de 2020, le pays a connu des restrictions de niveau 5 et 4, indiquant une forte propagation du COVID-19, avec un etat de preparation du systeme de sante a composer avec cette situation, qualifie de faible a modere. Les Sud-Africains ont ete largement confines chez eux. Cette etude a explore les experiences des jeunes adultes en matiere d'engagement dans les loisirs pendant le confinement, les adaptations effectuees et l'influence de ces experiences sur la sante et le bien-etre. Treize etudiants chercheurs en ergotherapie ont mene individuellement des etudes qualitatives exploratoires et descriptives sur les experiences de loisirs des jeunes adultes pendant les confinements de niveau 5 et 4. Les auteurs ont realise une meta-analyse qualitative, reposant sur les etudes primaires des etudiants chercheurs, dont la synthese est presentee dans cet article. L'echantillon comprenait 65 participants ages de 18 a 32 ans (age moyen de 22,2 ans), dont la majorite etait aux etudes ou avaient une activite professionnelle. Lors de videoconferences, les participants ont partage leurs experiences de loisir lors du confinement, a l'aide d'une entrevue semi-structuree. Toutefois, une part des participants a plutot soumis des reponses ecrites aux questions, selon leur convenance. Les donnees pertinentes ont ete extraites des etudes primaires et analysees de maniere thematique. Quatre themes ont emerge : 1) la perturbation, 2) le temps, 3) l'adaptation au changement, et 4) les bienfaits des loisirs. Bien que les participants aient vecu le confinement comme une perturbation et une restriction de leurs loisirs et de leur engagement social, ils se sont adaptes et ont developpe de nouveaux loisirs, ce qui a eu une influence positive sur leur sante et leur bien-etre. En conclusion, les jeunes adultes ont compose avec les injustices occupationnelles associees au confinement en adaptant leur engagement dans des loisirs, faisant ainsi preuve de resilience occupationnelle, ce qui a influence positivement leur sante et leur bien-etre. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) La pandemia de COVID-19 constituye una alteracion del ecosistema humano a nivel mundial que afecta casi todas las facetas de la vida cotidiana. Frente a este contexto, Sudafrica adopto un enfoque ajustado al riesgo que comprende cinco niveles, con el objetivo de frenar la propagacion de la COVID-19. A principios de 2020, el pais establecio restricciones de nivel 5 y 4, lo que indica alta propagacion de la COVID-19 con baja a moderada preparacion del sistema sanitario. En gran medida, los sudafricanos estaban confinados en sus hogares. Este estudio examino las participaciones en el ocio de adultos jovenes durante el confinamiento, las adaptaciones que debieron realizar y como ello influyo en su salud y bienestar. Trece investigadores, estudiantes de terapia ocupacional, realizaron estudios individuales, cualitativos y exploratorios-descriptivos sobre las experiencias de ocio descritas por adultos jovenes durante los confinamientos de nivel 5 y 4. Los autores utilizamos un enfoque metaanalitico cualitativo para revisar los estudios primarios de dichos estudiantes y sintetizar los hallazgos para este articulo. La muestra la conformaron 65 participantes de entre 18 y 32 anos (edad media de 22.2 anos), la mayoria de ellos estudiantes o empleados. Los participantes fueron entrevistados en linea o enviaron respuestas escritas a preguntas abiertas centradas en su participacion en el ocio durante el encierro. De los estudios primarios se extrajo la informacion pertinente y se analizo tematicamente, identificandose cuatro temas: 1) perturbacion;2) tiempo;3) adaptaciones al cambio;y 4) beneficios del ocio. Aunque los participantes experimentaron el confinamiento como algo perturbador que restringia su ocio y su participacion social, se adaptaron y desarrollaron nuevas ocupaciones que incidieron de manera positiva en su salud y bienestar. En conclusion, los adultos jovenes afrontaron las injusticias ocupacionales que implico el confinamiento adaptando su participacion en el ocio, lo que mostro su resiliencia ocupacional e influyo positivamente en su salud y bienestar. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)