The self-care process of community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Larissa Padoin Lopes, Daniela Bulcão Santi, Francielle Renata Danielli Martins Marques and 3 others
PMID 36888748WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults changed self-care routines during COVID-19 using health professionals, media and technology, but unapproved practices appeared only in those diagnosed.
Loss of daily activities and risk-group stigma brought fear, discouragement and loneliness.
Key findings
01Community-dwelling older adults changed daily routines for self-care and prevention, using health professionals, media, television, radio, phones and internet for information.
02Reported preventive practices included vaccination, hand hygiene, mask use and social distancing, while practices not recommended by health bodies appeared only among those with positive diagnosis.
03Stopping daily and leisure activities and being labelled a risk group were linked to fear, discouragement and loneliness.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Single Basic Health Unit in one Brazilian city, so transferability is limited. Telephone interviews were used when face-to-face access was difficult, which may reduce depth. Adults with altered cognitive function were excluded, so it says nothing about older adults with cognitive decline. Qualitative study of 18 participants; themes are not evidence that any self-care practice works. All participants had received both vaccine doses, so findings may not apply to unvaccinated older adults or other pandemic phases.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported self-care changes as proof they prevented infection or improved health. This is a qualitative study of 18 older adults, and it did not test outcomes.