"I just can't go back": Challenging Places for Older Americans since the COVID-19 Pandemic Onset.

ABSTRACT: During the pandemic, many older adults felt 'out of place' in their home, work, and community spaces with potentially long-term consequences for health and wellbeing. Using national data from the COVID-19 Coping Study, thematic analysis of online long-answer responses (n = 1171; mean age 68 years; 71% female; 93% non-Hispanic White; 86% with at least a 4-year college degree; data collected April-June 2022) identified four themes regarding why particular places are challenging since the pandemic onset: (1) viral exposure fears, (2) frustrating regulations, (3) uncomfortable and hostile social dynamics, and (4) 'out of place' negative emotions. Participants also shared how they continuously address or adapt to place-based challenges through lifestyle adjustments and coping stra

SUBMITTER: Finlay J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11178241 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature