Open AccessThe Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Lived Experience of Diverse Older Adults Living Alone With Cognitive Impairment
Author(s) -
Elena Portacolone,
Anna Chodos,
Jodi Halpern,
Kenneth E. Covinsky,
Sahru Keiser,
Jennifer Fung,
Elizabeth Rivera,
Thi Hà Châu Tran,
Camilla Bykhovsky,
Julene K. Johnson
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the gerontologist/the gerontologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.524
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1758-5341
pISSN - 0016-9013
DOI - 10.1093/geront/gnaa201
Subject(s) - pandemic , feeling , qualitative research , distress , population , coping (psychology) , gerontology , cognition , misinformation , psychology , ethnic group , medicine , clinical psychology , covid-19 , psychiatry , social psychology , disease , sociology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , social science , environmental health , political science , anthropology , law
Background and Objectives Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults with cognitive impairment living alone (an estimated 4.3 million individuals in the United States) were at high risk for negative health outcomes. There is an urgent need to learn how this population is managing during the pandemic. Research Design and Methods This is a qualitative study of 24 adults aged 55 and older living alone with cognitive impairment from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Participants’ lived experiences during the pandemic were elicited via 59 ethnographic interviews conducted over the phone either in English, Spanish, or Cantonese. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, interview transcripts were analyzed to identify codes and themes. Results Qualitative analysis of transcripts revealed 5 themes: (a) fear generated by the pandemic, (b) distress stemming from feeling extremely isolated, (c) belief in misinformation, (d) strategies for coping during the pandemic, and (e) the importance of access to essential services. Discussion and Implications This pandemic put a spotlight on the precarity and unmet needs of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment. Findings underscore the need to expand access to home care aides and mental health services for this population.