Psychological well-being among older adults during the COVID-19 outbreak: a comparative study of the young-old and the old-old adults

Int Psychogeriatr. 2020 Nov;32(11):1365-1370. doi: 10.1017/S1041610220000964. Epub 2020 May 22.

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak could be considered as an uncontrollable stressful life event. Lockdown measures have provoked a disruption of daily life with a great impact over older adults' health and well-being. Nevertheless, eudaimonic well-being plays a protective role in confronting adverse circumstances, such as the COVID-19 situation. This study aims to assess the association between age and psychological well-being (personal growth and purpose in life). Young-old (60-70 years) and old-old (71-80 years) community-dwelling Spaniards (N = 878) completed a survey and reported on their sociodemographic characteristics and their levels of health, COVID-19 stress-related, appraisal, and personal resources. Old-old did not evidence poorer psychological well-being than young-old. Age has only a negative impact on personal growth. The results also suggest that the nature of the COVID-19 impact (except for the loss of a loved one) may not be as relevant for the older adults' well-being as their appraisals and personal resources for managing COVID-related problems. In addition, these results suggest that some sociodemographic and health-related variables have an impact on older adults' well-being. Thus, perceived-health, family functioning, resilience, gratitude, and acceptance had significant associations with both personal growth and purpose in life. Efforts to address older adults' psychological well-being focusing on older adults' personal resources should be considered.

Keywords: crisis; eudaimonia; older adults; personal growth; personal strengths; purpose in life; stress; well-being.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / psychology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Independent Living
  • Male
  • Mental Health / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pandemics
  • Resilience, Psychological*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Social Support
  • Spain
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires