Older adults are especially vulnerable physically during the COVID-19 pandemic. But they’re also notably resilient psychologically, calling upon a lifetime of experience and perspective to help them through difficult times.
New research calls attention to this little-remarked-upon resilience as well as significant challenges for older adults as the pandemic stretches on. It shows that many seniors have changed behaviors—reaching out to family and friends, pursuing hobbies, exercising, participating in faith communities—as they strive to stay safe from COVID-19.
Whether those coping strategies will prove effective as the pandemic lingers, however, is an open question.
“But COVID-19 is distinctive from other disasters because of its constellation of stressors, geographic spread, and protracted duration,” she continued. “And older adults are now cut off from many of the social and psychological resources that enable resilience because of their heightened risk.”
Here are notable findings from a new wave of research documenting the early experiences of older adults during the pandemic:
Results come from a survey of 1,272 adults age 64 and older administered online between May 4 and May 17. More than 80 percent of the respondents lived in New Jersey, an early pandemic hot spot. Blacks and Hispanics—as well as seniors with lower incomes and in poor health—were underrepresented.
These seniors reported spending less face-to-face time with family and friends (95 percent), limiting trips to the grocery store (94 percent), canceling plans to attend a celebration (88 percent), saying no to out-of-town trips (88 percent), not going to funerals (72 percent), going to public places less often (72 percent) and canceling doctors’ appointments (69 percent).
Her data comes from an online survey of 825 adults age 60 and older on March 22 and 23—another sample weighted toward whites and people with higher incomes.
Instead of inquiring about “coping”—a term that can carry negative connotations—Whitehead asked about sources of joy and comfort during the pandemic. Most commonly reported were connecting with family and friends (31.6 percent), interacting on digital platforms (video chats, emails, social media, texts—22 percent), engaging in hobbies (19 percent), being with pets (19 percent), spending time with spouses or partners (15 percent), and relying on faith (11.5 percent).
“In terms of how these findings relate to where we are now, I would argue these sources of joy and comfort, these coping resources, are even more important” as stress related to the pandemic persists, Whitehead said.
Maintaining meaningful connections with older adults remains crucial, she said. “Don’t assume that people are OK,” she advised families and friends. “Check in with them. Ask how they’re doing.”
Keep in mind, older adults expressed these attitudes at the start of the pandemic. Answers might differ now. And the longer stress endures, the more likely it is to adversely affect both physical and mental health.
Results come from an online survey of 6,938 adults age 55 and older in April and May. Researchers are following up with 4,211 respondents monthly to track changes in older adults’ responses to the pandemic over a year.
Notably, these types of distress were about twice as common among 55- to 64-year-olds as among those 75 and older. This is consistent with research showing that people become better able to regulate their emotions and manage stress as they advance through later life.
On the positive side, older adults are responding by getting exercise, going outside, altering routines, practicing self-care, and adjusting attitudes via meditation and mindfulness, among other practices, the study found.
Although most reported using social media (70 percent) and video chats (57 percent) to stay connected with family and friends during the pandemic, they indicated this didn’t alleviate feelings of isolation.
“A lot of well-intentioned families are staying away from their parents because they don’t want to expose them to risk,” Malani continued. “But we’re at a point where risks can be mitigated, with careful planning. Masks help a lot. Social distancing is essential. Getting tested can be useful.”
Malani practices what she preaches: Each weekend, she and her husband take their children to see her elderly in-laws or parents. Both couples live less than an hour away.
“We do it carefully—outdoors, physically distant, no hugs,” Malani said. “But I make a point to visit with them because the harms of isolation are just too high.”