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| author |
Mary Walsh Roche
| | title |
Context, Coping, and Connection: Older Adults and the COVID-19 Pandemic
| | abstract |
The focus of inquiry of this study is to understand the lived experience of community dwelling adults aged 59 and over during the COVID-19 pandemic. The older adult population was considered more vulnerable to COVID-19 and the related social and physical distancing safety measures enacted during this time. Within this focus, this study explored participants' quality of life, well-being and engagement in meaningful occupations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via videoconferencing with twelve participants aged 59 to 87. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged, namely, change and context, coping and adaptation, and connection. The pandemic was a situation of stress, hardship, and change. Fear of contracting the disease, obtaining food and other necessities, sadness due to great loss, social distancing requirements, and uncertainty was pervasive. Although the participants in this study acknowledged and experienced these challenges, they had the internal and external resources to be able to adapt and not be overwhelmed by the challenges they faced. Engaging in meaningful occupations and maintaining connections with family, friends, spiritual and faith traditions, as well as the natural world contributed to their well-being. Participants were able to adapt to the changing contexts they encountered during the pandemic and maintain a sense of connection within themselves and with the larger world, and this contributed to their resilience. Narratives revealed that participants were vulnerable, not only in the sense of being more susceptible to the effects of COVID, but in the sense of being open to experience and the need to adapt. Participants were both vulnerable and resilient, and these two qualities are simultaneously part of the human experience. Understanding the lived experience of older adults provides valuable evidence that can inform the practice of all who serve the public, especially those in professions involved in the promotion of health and wellness such as occupational therapy and the health humanities.
| | school |
The Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, Drew University
| | degree |
D.M.H. (2023)
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| advisor |
Gaetana Kopchinsky
Richard Morehouse
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| committee |
Merel Visse
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| full text | MRoche.pdf - requires Drew uLogin |
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