Although the coronavirus pandemic raised stresses on older adults living in care facilities, it also shed light on their resilience, according to a small study released this summer.
By Erin Blakemore
Among the challenges the residents recalled: Access to medical care declined, with 29 percent saying they hadn’t been able to see their doctor and 59 percent saying they used telehealth instead of in-person visits. Fourteen percent said their medical conditions worsened during the pandemic.
Most surveyed said they had a friend or family member who had been diagnosed with covid-19 at some point, and 43 percent said they knew someone at the care facility who had died, whether of chronic health conditions, covid-19 or other causes.
Residents cited social isolation, pandemic restrictions like mask-wearing, and loneliness, anxiety and depression as particularly stressful, with 57 percent attributing their social or psychological difficulties to pandemic precautions.
But the residents also reported resilience, the researchers say. Some took up new creative pursuits and embraced online socializing. Others cited deepened connections to friends and family. Residents reported increased personal strength and confidence, spiritual growth, and a greater appreciation for life.
Despite the study’s small size, the researchers write, it suggests that older adults can experience growth in response to trauma. “Living through these experiences helped our study participants use their inner strength and muster the ability to adapt and bounce back,” Patricia Liehr, co-author and interim dean at the Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, said in a news release.
Older adults need “flexible, safe and socially engaging living arrangements that contribute to ongoing personal growth,” the researchers conclude, noting that growth that can continue even during stressful times.
