Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Study: In pandemic era, older adults isolated but resilient
Since the pandemic’s descent, they have generally been viewed as among those at higher risk — older Americans, some of them medically vulnerable, figuring out how to navigate life in a COVID-saturated, increasingly isolated world.
That’s one type of health — physical. When it comes to mental and emotional health, older adults in the United States are showing resilience and persevering despite struggles with loneliness and isolation, the latest self-reported results in an ongoing study suggest.
The latest data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, conducted by the social research organization NORC at the University of Chicago, is part of a longer-term study designed to track the physical and emotional well-being of older Americans over time.
Only 9% of older adults reported having “fair or poor overall mental health” during the pandemic, similar to their previous answers and an indication of what the study calls “some signs of resilience.”
Nevertheless, the study found that general happiness has declined. About half as many older adults now report they are very happy or extremely happy, and an increasing number report occasional feelings of depression or isolation.
“It should sensitize everyone to the reality of isolation’s impact but also the reality that people are resilient — and maybe even more so older adults than younger adults,” said Louise Hawkley, principal research scientist at NORC and the lead researcher on
the study. “This isn’t their first show.
“They’ve been through things already. They know how to handle stress. This is something we can learn from them — that there is survival.”
The information comes from 1,284 respondents between the ages of 55 and 99, interviewed in September and October — all of them participants in a longer-term study that also
collected data in person in 2015-2016. No margin of error was provided.
Other interesting findings from the responses:
About one-fifth of older adults in the study said they’d had no in-person contact with family and friends outside their own households during the pandemic.
At the same time, at least half of older adults “have not reduced their frequency
of in-person contact with friends and family not living with them” since the pandemic began.
Where in-person interaction faded, the study showed that electronic communication stepped in — but, perhaps unexpectedly in this demographic, the use of phone conversations (32%) lagged behind messaging (37%) and video calls (42%).
Taken together, the responses
form what Hawkley calls a portrait of a demographic that crosses generations, is persevering under challenging circumstances and — pivotally — whose members need more engagement about isolation and emotional health even after the pandemic wanes.
“There’s a lot we don’t appreciate about how well people do cope with age,” said Hawkley, who specializes
in researching loneliness and social isolation in older adults.
She said arrangements are being made to obtain physical data from the participants as soon as the pandemic ebbs.
“We’re learning painfully how real a risk social isolation is to our mental health,” she said. “And I think we need to learn how it affects physical health.”
We are living in a unique time. We are being encouraged not to see our family and friends. We are told to avoid going to the movies, plays, museums, art exhibits and live sporting events. If you must go food shopping, make it quick! In your lifetime, have you ever been told you can’t go out to a restaurant?
While we can now see a light at the end of the tunnel, that light is still at least a couple of months away. We are in the depth of winter, so now is the perfect time to take the plunge and learn to use some technology that will make your days much more enjoyable, educational and entertaining.
As with any new technology, you may want to consider asking someone with experience for assistance. As I have said before, the most desirous trait that this person should have is patience. New technology is not easy to understand, and you want someone who will calmly answer all your questions and help you through the times you get frustrated.
Once you’ve selected your teacher, you need to invest in the technology. Let’s start with eBooks. The first technology you need is WiFi in your home. The two major providers are Verizon Fios and Comcast Xfinity. WiFi is a significant investment, approximately $50-$70 per month, however, it opens entertainment possibilities that make it well worth the cost.
The second technology item you will need is an eBook reader or computer tablet. To read an eBook, I recommend an Amazon Kindle eBook reader or a computer tablet priced under $200. There are many tablets to choose from — let your teacher help you decide which one is best for you.
You or your teacher will now need to set up your WiFi with a network name and a password that you will remember (write it down and put it in a safe place). You will also need to set up your Kindle or tablet. If you feel comfortable doing this, great. If not ask your teacher for help.
Once you are set up, the best part is that it is free to read eBooks on your eReader or tablet. The Chester County library system, as well as many other local libraries, have thousands of eBooks that you can borrow for free — all you need is a library card.
Another great benefit is you can borrow eBooks without ever leaving your home. If you want a bestseller and the book is not available, you can put yourself on a hold list, and the library will notify you by email when the book is available.
If you don’t have email, set up an address prior to checking out eBooks. Again, if you need help setting up email, just ask your teacher for help. I recommend Gmail for your email account.
The libraries use applications (i.e., computer programs) to manage their borrowing process. The two most popular ones are Overdrive and Libby. Using these applications can get a little complicated. You need to understand the details of these applications, so remember, take your time, repeat the necessary steps, ask a lot of questions (if you have a teacher available) and take breaks as you are learning.
Many people say they can’t/won’t/don’t like reading a book on a Kindle or tablet. I can understand that because I used to feel the same way. My advice
is to try it with one or two books. My hope is that you will see that it is just as enjoyable as reading a hard copy book because what is most important is whether the book is good or not!
Good luck and happy reading!
Promoting Senior Wellness is provided by The Hickman Friends Senior Community, a Quaker-affiliated licensed personal care home in West Chester. Hugh Bleemer is the outreach and admissions counselor. The Hickman does not endorse and is not affiliated with the companies and apps mentioned in this article.