Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Aging
Date Submitted: Nov 15, 2020
Date Accepted: Mar 7, 2021
Date Submitted to PubMed: Mar 23, 2021
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Health impacts of the “Stay at Home” order on community dwelling older adults and how technologies may help: A focus group study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in nearly 250,000 deaths as of mid-November 2020 with 80% of those being people over 65 years of age. Since March 2020, preventive measures including lockdowns, social isolation, quarantine and social distancing have been implemented to reduce viral spread. These measures, while effective for risk prevention, may contribute to increased social isolation and loneliness among older adults and negatively impact mental and physical health.
Objective:
A qualitative study was conducted to identify the impact of the “Stay-at-Home” order on older adults living in a Continued Care Senior Housing Community (CCSHC) in southern California.
Methods:
Four 90-minute focus groups were convened using the Zoom communications platform during May 2020 with 21 CCSHC residents participating. Participants were asked to describe how they were managing during the “stay-at-home” mandate that was implemented in March 2020, including impact on their physical and mental health. Transcripts of each focus group were analyzed using qualitative methods.
Results:
Four themes emerged from the qualitative data including: Impact of Quarantine on Health and Well-Being; 2 - Communication Innovation; 3 - Effective Ways of Coping with Quarantine; and 4 – Improving Access to Technology and Training. Participants reported a threat to their mental and physical health directly tied to quarantine and exacerbated by social isolation and decreased physical activity. Technology was identified as a lifeline for many who are socially isolated from friends and family.
Conclusions:
Technology access, connectivity, and literacy are potential game-changers to supporting the mental and physical health of older adults and must be prioritized. Clinical Trial: N/A
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