How we survived: older adults’ adjustment to the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Margarida Jarego; Fiona Tasker; Pedro Alexandre Costa; José Pais-Ribeiro; Alexandra Ferreira-Valente

doi:10.1007/s12144-024-05860-6

How we survived: older adults’ adjustment to the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Margarida Jarego^*, Fiona Tasker, Pedro Alexandre Costa, José Pais-Ribeiro, Alexandra Ferreira-Valente

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Older adults were found to be the most susceptible group to suffer the physical health consequences of a COVID-19 infection and were considered vulnerable to the negative effects of the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet unlike many young adults did not generally experience an increased rate of mental health problems. Our study explored the strategies older adults in Portugal deployed during the mandatory lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. Qualitative interview data were collected with 22 older adults in relatively good health (aged between 66 and 92 years old; 36% women). Three main themes were identified via thematic analysis: (1) Finding things to do and activities that can protect me; (2) Identifying how my thoughts can protect me; and (3) Counting myself lucky – me and my home advantages. Some of the thematic strategies identified by older adults to manage pandemic and lockdown-related stresses related to meaning-centered coping could be further developed via cognitive behavioral therapies of the third wave.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	26593-26607
Number of pages	15
Journal	Current Psychology
Volume	43
Issue number	32
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05860-6
Publication status	Published - Aug 2024

Keywords

Coping
COVID-19
Lockdown
Older adults
Psychological well-being

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s12144-024-05860-6Licence: CC BY

97129703Final published version, 1.06 MBLicence: CC BY

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/44536Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "How we survived: older adults{\textquoteright} adjustment to the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic",

abstract = "Older adults were found to be the most susceptible group to suffer the physical health consequences of a COVID-19 infection and were considered vulnerable to the negative effects of the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet unlike many young adults did not generally experience an increased rate of mental health problems. Our study explored the strategies older adults in Portugal deployed during the mandatory lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. Qualitative interview data were collected with 22 older adults in relatively good health (aged between 66 and 92 years old; 36% women). Three main themes were identified via thematic analysis: (1) Finding things to do and activities that can protect me; (2) Identifying how my thoughts can protect me; and (3) Counting myself lucky – me and my home advantages. Some of the thematic strategies identified by older adults to manage pandemic and lockdown-related stresses related to meaning-centered coping could be further developed via cognitive behavioral therapies of the third wave.",

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AU - Costa, Pedro Alexandre

AU - Pais-Ribeiro, José

AU - Ferreira-Valente, Alexandra

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

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How we survived: older adults’ adjustment to the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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CEDH: Research Centre for Human Development

Cite this

How we survived: older adults’ adjustment to the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

CEDH: Research Centre for Human Development

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