objective: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults developed coping strategies to adapt to the necessary social distancing precautions; however, over time, especially as vaccines became available, their need and ability to adapt and cope shifted. This longitudinal, mixed-methods study investigates changes in older adults' perceptions of coping across the first two years of the pandemic.
methods: Between April 2020 and June 2022, five waves of interviews were conducted with 76 Midwestern older adults aged 70-97. At each timepoint, participants rated their level of perceived coping. They also answered a series of open-ended questions about their current daily life, experiences, and perceptions during the p... More
objective: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults developed coping strategies to adapt to the necessary social distancing precautions; however, over time, especially as vaccines became available, their need and ability to adapt and cope shifted. This longitudinal, mixed-methods study investigates changes in older adults' perceptions of coping across the first two years of the pandemic.
methods: Between April 2020 and June 2022, five waves of interviews were conducted with 76 Midwestern older adults aged 70-97. At each timepoint, participants rated their level of perceived coping. They also answered a series of open-ended questions about their current daily life, experiences, and perceptions during the pandemic.
results: Repeated-measure ANOVA indicated participants' perceived coping significantly increased over two years and qualitative explanations contextualized these shifts. Thematic coding of interview transcripts identified themes of: 1) taking problem-focused approaches and 2) cultivating emotional resiliency, with multiple subthemes nested within each. Subtheme meanings shifted once vaccines were available, as participants adapted to a 'new normal' lifestyle and appreciated their own resilience.
conclusions: Findings suggest older adults had nuanced and shifting coping experiences throughout the initial two years of the pandemic, but overall coped by drawing on life experiences. Our discussion highlights variability in older adults' coping over time and directions for future study and practice.
