Exploring the “New Normal”: Older Adults’ Coping Strategies During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract COVID-19 stay-at-home orders resulted in social isolation and psychosocial challenges for older adults around the world. To understand their lived experiences during the pandemic, we conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 15 older adults living in community settings. Qualitative thematic analysis of the collected data identified themes and patterns of the “new normal” for these participants: ways of living, communication with family and friends, sense of autonomy, psychological responses, coping strategies, and perceived social support. This presentation focuses on participants’ coping strategies. Participants used common coping strategies, customized to the unique challenges of stay-at-home orders. We categorized coping strategies as problem-focused, meaning-focused, and emotion-focused. Participants’ problem-focused strategies aimed to reduce the risk of infection. Meaning-focused strategies included purposeful errands such as going to grocery stores. Emotion-focused strategies emphasized connecting with support networks (e.g., via Zoom) and efforts to maintain psychosocial and emotional well-being (e.g., seeking professional counseling). They also employed self-enhancing comparisons to increase self-concept and self-esteem. At the beginning of the pandemic, some temporarily used distraction/avoidance strategies such as eating comfort food and avoiding news about COVID-19 to maintain a positive emotional state. Our findings imply the applicability of frameworks such as life course perspective and selective optimization with compensation to highlight the successful adaptive strategies developed by older adults through experience. We argue against the ageist view of older adults as vulnerable. Rather, this study suggests that older adults can flexibly employ resilient coping strategies crafted over a lifetime of experiences in response to crises.

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Birth cultures: A qualitative approach to home birthing in Chile

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0249224 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. e0249224

Author(s):

Pía Rodríguez-Garrido ◽

Josefina Goberna-Tricas

Keyword(s):

Thematic Analysis ◽

Home Birth ◽

Well Being ◽

Field Work ◽

Main Theme ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Home Births ◽

Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽

At Home

Background Birth cultures have been transforming in recent years mainly affecting birth care and its socio-political contexts. This situation has affected the feeling of well-being in women at the time of giving birth. Aim For this reason, our objective was to analyse the social meaning that women ascribe to home births in the Chilean context. Method We conducted thirty semi-structured interviews with women living in diverse regions ranging from northern to southern Chile, which we carried out from a theoretical-methodological perspective of phenomenology and situated knowledge. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse the information collected in the field work. Findings A qualitative thematic analysis produced the following main theme: 1) Home birth journeys. Two sub-categories: 1.1) Making the decision to give birth at home, 1.2) Giving birth: (re)birth. And four sub-categories also emerged: 1.1.1) Why do I need to give birth at home? 1.1.2) The people around me don’t support me; 1.2.1) Shifting emotions during home birth, 1.2.2) I (don’t) want to be alone. Conclusion We concluded that home births involve an intense and diverse range of satisfactions and tensions, the latter basically owing to the sociocultural resistance surrounding women. For this reason, they experienced home birth as an act of protest and highly valued the presence of midwives and their partners.

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A Qualitative Exploration of Aged-Care Residents’ Everyday Music Listening Practices and How These May Support Psychosocial Well-Being

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.585557 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Amanda E. Krause ◽

Jane W. Davidson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Emotional Regulation ◽

Well Being ◽

Aged Care ◽

Residential Aged Care ◽

Music Listening ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽

Care Facilities

Strategies to support the psychosocial well-being of older adults living in aged-care are needed; and evidence points toward music listening as an effective, non-pharmacological tool with many benefits to quality of life and well-being. Yet, the everyday listening practices (and their associated specific psychosocial benefits) of older adults living in residential aged-care remain under-researched. The current study explored older adults’ experiences of music listening in their daily lives while living in residential aged-care and considered how music listening might support their well-being. Specifically, what might go into autonomous listening activities? 32 Australian residents (aged 73–98) living in two Australian care facilities participated in semi-structured interviews. The results of a qualitative thematic analysis revealed three themes pertaining to “previous music experiences and interest,” “current music listening,” and “barriers to listening.” While an interest in and access to music did not necessarily result in everyday listening practices, of those participants who did listen to music, perceived benefits included outcomes such as entertainment, enjoyment, relaxation, and mood regulation. Drawing on Ruud’s notion of music as a “cultural immunogen” supporting well-being and Self-Determination Theory, theoretical implications of the findings are addressed, relating to how to create and support music activities in aged-care facilities so that they are engaging, meaningful, and promote emotional regulation, community, and well-being.

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“There Was No ‘That’s Not My Job’”: New York Area Agencies on Aging Approaches to Supporting Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of Applied Gerontology ◽

10.1177/0733464821991026 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 073346482199102

Author(s):

Claire Pendergrast

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

New York ◽

New York State ◽

Well Being ◽

Contextual Influences ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Response And Recovery ◽

Pandemic Response ◽

Increasing Demand ◽

Priority Needs

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many older adults’ traditional sources of formal and informal supports, increasing demand for Area Agency on Aging services (AAAs). This study examines strategies used by AAAs to support older adults’ health and well-being during COVID-19 and identifies contextual influences on AAA pandemic response activities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of 20 AAAs in New York State. A combined inductive and deductive approach was used to code and thematically analyze the data. AAAs rapidly expanded capacity and dramatically modified program offerings, communications activities, and service delivery protocols to address emergent needs and minimize COVID-19 exposure risk for clients. AAAs’ trusted relationships with older adults and community partners improved their capacity to identify priority needs and coordinate appropriate supports. Policymakers should ensure that AAAs receive sustained financial and technical support to ensure critical community-based services are available for older adults throughout pandemic response and recovery.

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Older Adults’ Adaptations to the Call for Social Distancing and Use of Technology: Insights From Socioemotional Selectivity Theory and Lived Experiences

Journal of Applied Gerontology ◽

10.1177/0733464821996864 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 073346482199686

Author(s):

Shoshana H. Bardach ◽

Elizabeth K. Rhodus ◽

Kelly Parsons ◽

Allison K. Gibson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Technology Use ◽

Technology Training ◽

Well Being ◽

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Socioemotional Selectivity ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Comparison Approach

Social distancing guidelines during COVID can be isolating, especially for older adults, with potential for poor health outcomes. Technology offers opportunities for remote connection, yet, older adults’ use of and perspectives on technology during this time remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into older adults’ technology use and preferences to inform the development of a technology training intervention to support older adult well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 older adults. Interviews were analyzed using an iterative, constant comparison approach. Findings were consistent with Socioemotional Selectivity Theory; respondents were primarily interested in technology to support emotionally meaningful goals. Participants indicated limited interest in technology training, referencing diminished future time perspectives to explain disinterest. Findings suggest that efforts to encourage older adults’ expanded technology adoption should highlight how use supports emotionally meaningful goals and provide low-effort, timely training, tied to specific and clear applications.

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Women’s lives in times of Zika: mosquito-controlled lives?

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/0102-311x00178917 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ana Rosa Linde ◽

Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Well Being ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

International Agencies ◽

The Us ◽

Women's Lives ◽

Heavy Burden ◽

The Impact

Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities. Its consequences to pregnancies has made governments, national and international agencies issue advices and recommendations to women. There is a clear need to investigate how the Zika outbreak affects the decisions that women take concerning their lives and the life of their families, as well as how women are psychologically and emotionally dealing with the outbreak. We conducted a qualitative study to address the impact of the Zika epidemic on the family life of women living in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the US, who were affected by it to shed light on the social repercussions of Zika. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique and data was collected through semi-structured interviews. We describe the effects in mental health and the coping strategies that women use to deal with the Zika epidemic. Zika is taking a heavy toll on women’s emotional well-being. They are coping with feelings of fear, helplessness, and uncertainty by taking drastic precautions to avoid infection that affect all areas of their lives. Coping strategies pose obstacles in professional life, lead to social isolation, including from family and partner, and threaten the emotional and physical well-being of women. Our findings suggest that the impacts of the Zika epidemic on women may be universal and global. Zika infection is a silent and heavy burden on women’s shoulders.

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The Importance of Religiosity to the Well-Being of African American Older Adults Living With Dementia

Journal of Applied Gerontology ◽

10.1177/0733464818820773 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (5) ◽

pp. 509-518 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fayron Epps ◽

Ishan C. Williams

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Family Involvement ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Well Being ◽

Religious Practices ◽

Care Providers ◽

Religious Activities ◽

Structured Interviews

This study was a post hoc analysis of a larger qualitative descriptive study exploring family involvement in health promotion activities for African Americans living with dementia where participants identified religious practices as meaningful health promotion activities. The purpose of this study was to explore ways in which religiosity may influence the well-being of older adults living with dementia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among a sample of 22 family caregivers and 15 older adults living with dementia ( N = 37). Three themes emerged: Engagement, Promotion of Faith and Spiritual Connectedness, and Maintenance of Religious Practices. It is imperative for family caregivers to understand the important contributions of religious activities and beliefs to the well-being of their family member. This information might be of use for faith communities, policy makers, and health care providers in the provision of optimal person-centered care and the promotion of quality of life for persons living with dementia.

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Rising above It: Status Ambivalence in Older Adults

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000488389 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 576-588

Author(s):

Deirdre A. Robertson ◽

David Weiss

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Status ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Protective Mechanism ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Age Related ◽

The Social ◽

Implicit And Explicit

Background: Social status is the standing of a person or group in the social hierarchy, and is perceived to change across the life span from low social status in early life, to peak in midlife, and to a decline thereafter. As threats to subjective social status are known to be detrimental to individuals’ health, it is important to better understand how older adults perceive themselves and others in terms of age-related social status. Objective: We examined status ambivalence – the potential discrepancy between how older adults’ perceive social status for themselves compared to older adults in general. Method: Study 1 used qualitative data from 37 semi-structured interviews with older adults to assess perceptions of social status. Study 2 used quantitative survey data from 114 older adults who completed explicit and implicit measures of social status. Results: Study 1 (n = 37, meanage = 71.72, SDage = 5.69; 81.1% women) provided preliminary evidence for status ambivalence such that older adults reported unequivocal low social status for other older adults but a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Study 2 (n = 114, meanage = 64.32, SDage = 8.98, 57.9% women) compared implicit and explicit measures of social status revealing that older adults consistently perceive older adults to have low social status but again show a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Conclusion: We discuss status ambivalence as a potential protective mechanism in the context of negative societal perceptions of age-related social status that may be important for well-being in later life.

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COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lived Experiences of Older Adults in Aged Care Homes

Millennial Asia ◽

10.1177/0976399620958326 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 299-317

Author(s):

Shi Yin Chee

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Lived Experiences ◽

Well Being ◽

Aged Care ◽

Care Homes ◽

World Health ◽

Phenomenological Method ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused untold fear and suffering for older adults across the world. According to the World Health Organization, older adults in aged care homes are at a higher risk of the infection living in an enclosed environment with others. This article adopts a qualitative approach using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method to explore the lived experiences of older adults during COVID-19. Between December 2019 and June 2020, 10 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 60 years and above in two aged care homes. The lived tension that has penetrated all participants’ stories in five themes of the meanings described as ‘disconnected in a shrinking world’ filled with uncertainties. COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges and disproportionate threat onto older adults’ lives, relationships and well-being. The overarching message was that older adults believe that ‘this too shall pass’ and regain their freedom that was lost during the pandemic.

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PET VISITATION AS NARRATIVE CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THERAPEUTIC SETTINGS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3182 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S867-S867

Author(s):

Jill Yamasaki ◽

Kelley Murfin

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Los Angeles ◽

Participant Observation ◽

Ways Of Knowing ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Term Care ◽

Personalized Care ◽

Healing Relationships ◽

Therapeutic Settings

Abstract A growing body of research highlights the physiological and psychosocial benefits of pet visitation programs in therapeutic settings. These programs utilize the profound connection between humans and animals to promote holistic healing, foster greater quality of life, and influence meaningful communication between patients and providers. For older adults in hospitals or long-term care, these benefits are often correlated with moments of pleasure, comfort, relaxation, and entertainment. The current study builds on this prior knowledge by examining pet visitation programs as a novel form of narrative care that can also help preserve biographical continuity and promote the sharing of lived stories. We worked with two volunteer pet visitation programs in Houston and one in Los Angeles. Our research included a variety of ethnographic methods, including participant observation; informal interviews with providers, patients (or residents, depending on the context), and their families; semi-structured interviews with volunteers; and discourse review of organizational materials. We employed a method of constant comparison to identify and thematically analyze recurrent patterns of behavior and overarching meanings across the data. Three primary themes emerged from the data: (a) compassion, (b) connection, and (c) response. Collectively, the presence of pets prompted stories and behaviors that foster healing relationships characterized by empathy and mutual understanding between patients (or residents), family members, and providers. Pet visitation programs facilitate storied conversations, increased autonomy, and alternative ways of knowing that promote greater understandings of the patient’s (or resident’s) psychosocial context and biographical history, leading to more personalized care and improved well-being.

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Path Analysis Testing the Development of Personality and Psychological Well-being Model

Western Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/0193945920932559 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 25-35

Author(s):

Pi-Ming Yeh ◽

Gavin Waters

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Path Analysis ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Critical Role ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Family Interaction ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Informed Consent Form ◽

Spiritual Well Being

The purpose of this study was to test the development of personality and psychological well-being model. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive design. The 448 participants were recruited from older adults living in a Midwest community in the United States. After Institution of Research Board approval, the trained researchers explained this study to older adults who lived in the community. After agreeing to participate, they signed an informed consent form. The structured questionnaires were used to perform data collection. Path analysis was used to examine this model. SPSS 23 version was employed to examine the instruments’ reliabilities and descriptive data. In this model, family interaction and spiritual well-being had significant influences on personality, which had a significant influence on selecting coping strategies. Using different coping strategies influenced on the outcome variables (e.g., psychological well-being and suicidal ideation). The family interaction and spiritual well-being played a critical role on the outcome variables.

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