Reactions to COVID-19, information and technology use, and social connectedness among older adults with pre-frailty and frailty.
Annie T Chen, Shaoqing Ge, Susie Cho and 4 others
PMID 32863038WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with pre-frailty or frailty described feeling stressed and isolated during early pandemic restrictions.
They used online tools, family, and community support to stay connected, and many said they would use telehealth for minor medical needs.
Key findings
01Most participants expressed stress, anxiety, and worry about COVID-19, and many said they did not feel well prepared because scientific knowledge was limited.
02Most participants felt isolated by pandemic restrictions, especially from family and friends, though some did not feel isolated.
03Participants used online communication and videoconferencing to stay connected, and many said they would use telehealth for non-severe medical needs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only 10 participants were studied, and they were mostly White, highly educated, and comfortable with computers, so the accounts may not represent older adults with less internet access or different backgrounds. The posts came from three icebreaker prompts during a narrow period, March 9 to March 24, 2020, so they may not capture later pandemic experiences. The study was qualitative and did not test whether online discussion, technology, or telehealth improved outcomes. The sample was limited to the greater Seattle area in the northwestern United States, so experiences may differ elsewhere.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding came from the University of Washington School of Nursing Research and Intramural Funding Program, the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging, a Doris Carnevali Engaging with Aging Postdoctoral Fellowship, and a National Library of Medicine Training Grant T15LM007442.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that online discussions or telehealth reduce isolation or improve health. It describes what a small group of older adults said in early pandemic, without a comparison group or outcome testing.