Old Overnight: Experiences of Age-Based Recommendations in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden.
J Aging Soc Policy
; 33(4-5): 359-379, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1219750
ABSTRACT
The Swedish response to the COVID-19 pandemic included age-based recommendations of voluntary quarantine specifically for those 70 years of age or older. This paper investigates the experiences of a sudden change of policy in the form of an age restriction that trumped the contemporary active aging ideal. A web-based qualitative survey was conducted in April 2020. Through manual coding of a total of 851 responses, six different ways of relating to the age-based recommendations were identified. The results show that age is not an unproblematic governing principle. Instead, in addition to protecting a vulnerable group, the age-based recommendation meant deprivation of previously assigned individual responsibility and, consequently, autonomy. It is shown how respondents handled this tension through varying degrees of compliance and resistance. Findings highlight the importance of continuously tracking the long-term consequences of age-based policy to avoid negative self-image and poorer health among older adults.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Aging
/
Quarantine
/
Personal Autonomy
/
Ageism
/
COVID-19
/
Health Policy
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
J Aging Soc Policy
Journal subject:
Geriatrics
/
Public Health
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
08959420.2021.1925042
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS