The Lived Experience of Already-Lonely Older Adults During COVID-19.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

From the outset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, analysts warned that older populations, due to their age, chronic illnesses, and lack of technological facility, would suffer disproportionately from loneliness as they sheltered in place indefinitely. Several studies have recently been published on the impact of COVID-19-related loneliness among older populations, but little has been written about the experiences of already-lonely older individuals; those who had lived with persistent loneliness before the advent of COVID-19. This qualitative study sought to understand how already-lonely older individuals navigated and endured the social isolation of the pandemic.

Research design and methods

Twelve semistructured interviews were c

SUBMITTER: Bundy H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8411383 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature