Exploring the beliefs and experiences of older Irish adults and family carers during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: A qualitative study protocol

Navigating Uncertainty: Experiences of Older Adults in Wuhan during the 76-Day COVID-19 Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the world. Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, underwent a 76-day lockdown. Research has indicated that the lockdown negatively impacted the quality of life of older individuals, but little is known about their specific experiences during the confinement period. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 elderly residents of Wuhan, aged 65 to 85, who experienced mandatory isolation throughout the pandemic. The interviews centered around three stages of experiences: the Early Lockdown stage (the first week of lockdown after the government implemented the lockdown policy in January 2020), Infection During Lockdown stage (from February to April 2020 when participants were affected by the lockdown), and the Post-Lockdown stage (after April 2020 when the government lifted the lockdown policy). We found that older adults experienced different core themes during each lockdown stage. In the Early Lockdown stage, they felt nervousness and fear while searching for information. During the Lockdown and Infection Stage, they relied on reciprocal support and adjusted to new lifestyles. In the Post-Lockdown stage, they expressed cautions, trust, and gratitude. The finding highlights the evolving emotions and coping strategies of older adults throughout the lockdown phases. This study has yielded valuable insights into the adaptations of behavior and the importance of social interactions, specifically emphasizing the significance of healthcare among the elderly population.

Impact of social isolation and coping strategies in older adults with mild cognitive impairment during the covid-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to explore the experiences and feelings of older adults with MCI during the COVID-19 outbreak in Chile and to know what strategies they used to overcome social isolation.

METHOD

A qualitative design was used. Ten participants with a diagnosis of MCI took part in this study. All interviews were recorded and coded using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The thematic analysis identified three themes related to the quarantine experience of older adults with MCI diagnosis: (1) Effects of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic (2) Believes, feelings and behaviors about the SARS-CoV-2 virus (3) Coping with social isolation/response to difficulties during the pandemic. It was found that older adults with MCI have been mainly psychologically and socially affected by social distancing and isolation, particularly individuals who were alone during COVID-19 outbreak. The only physical dimension negatively affected was the level of activity. Social isolation led to a significant number of negative emotions such as anger, fear of contracting the virus or possibility of contagion for their families, worries and sadness as well as emotional loneliness. It is noteworthy that the majority of participants have used several coping strategies during this challenging time.

CONCLUSION

Since social isolation and a sedentary life have been associated with poorer cognition and functionality in people with MCI, a rational plan to both prevent the progression of cognitive decline and to increase social contact, is essential. Special attention must be drawn to maintaining people physically active at home and keeping their daily routine (within the possibilities) and also to ensure social connectedness through technology. Implementation of these measures could potentially reduce negative emotions during the pandemic.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 on Hospitalized Patients: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

As the 2019 coronavirus spreads rapidly around the world, it has caused widespread fear and anxiety in various populations. This study aimed to explore the psychological effects of COVID-19 on patients with this disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted with a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 11 patients with COVID-19 was recruited. Data were collected from the beginning of March to the beginning of June 2020 using semi-structured interviews and they were analyzed according to Van Manen's method. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Initially, 315 codes were extracted. During data analysis and comparisons, the codes were reduced to 108. Ultimately, 10 categories, 38 subcategories, and 3 themes emerged. The theme of "behavioral responses" including 5 categories (Remorse, Fear and despair, Death anxiety, Growth, Support), "disease-caused helplessness" including two categories (Failure, Denial), and "decline of social networks" including three categories (Rejection, Stigma, Feeling guilty).

CONCLUSIONS

After understanding the findings of this research, nurses working in the wards of patients with COVID-19 can better consider the importance of assessing and analyzing the psychological challenges and experiences of these patients during the course of illness and quarantine. Findings also enhance the identification and organization of training needs during such a pandemic and the design of nursing programs to meet them.

New Ways of Working? A Rapid Exploration of Emerging Evidence Regarding the Care of Older People during COVID19

Health and social care staff have had to quickly adapt, respond and improve teamwork, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to rapidly summarize the emerging evidence of new ways of working in the care of older people during this period. We conducted an exploration of the emerging evidence within the timeframe of 1 March 2020 to 11 May 2020. To capture a broad perspective, we undertook thematic analysis of Twitter data which was extracted through a broad search for new ways of working in health and social care. For a more in-depth focus on the health and social care of older people, we undertook a systematic scoping of newspapers using the Nexis UK database. We undertook a validation workshop with members of the interprofessional working group of the Irish National Integrated Care Programme for Older People, and with researchers. A total of 317 tweets were extracted related to six new ways of working. There was evidence of using telehealth to provide ongoing care to patients; interprofessional work; team meetings using online platforms; trust and collaboration within teams; as well as teams feeling empowered to change at a local level. 34 newspaper articles were extracted related to new ways of working in the care of older people, originating in England (n = 17), Wales (n = 6), Scotland (n = 6), Ireland (n = 4) and Germany (n = 1). Four main themes were captured that focused on role expansion, innovations in communication, environmental restructuring and enablement. The results of this exploration of emerging evidence show that health and social care teams can transform very rapidly. Much of the change was based on goodwill as a response to the pandemic. Further analysis of empirical evidence of changing practices should include the perspectives of older people and should capture the resources needed to sustain innovations, as well as evaluate gaps in service provision.