Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, USA.
Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of California San Francisco, USA.
Gerontologist. 2021 Feb 23;61(2):251-261. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnaa201.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults with cognitive impairment living alone (an estimated 4.3 million individuals in the United States) were at high risk for negative health outcomes. There is an urgent need to learn how this population is managing during the pandemic.
This is a qualitative study of 24 adults aged 55 and older living alone with cognitive impairment from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Participants' lived experiences during the pandemic were elicited via 59 ethnographic interviews conducted over the phone either in English, Spanish, or Cantonese. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, interview transcripts were analyzed to identify codes and themes.
Qualitative analysis of transcripts revealed 5 themes: (a) fear generated by the pandemic, (b) distress stemming from feeling extremely isolated, (c) belief in misinformation, (d) strategies for coping during the pandemic, and (e) the importance of access to essential services.
This pandemic put a spotlight on the precarity and unmet needs of older adults living alone with cognitive impairment. Findings underscore the need to expand access to home care aides and mental health services for this population.
即使在 COVID-19 大流行之前，独居且认知能力受损的老年人（美国估计有 430 万人）就面临着健康状况恶化的高风险。我们急需了解这一人群在大流行期间是如何应对的。
这是一项针对 24 名来自不同种族/族裔背景、年龄在 55 岁及以上、独居且认知能力受损的成年人的定性研究。通过电话进行的 59 次人种学访谈来获取参与者在大流行期间的生活经历，访谈可以使用英语、西班牙语或粤语进行。采用定性内容分析方法，对访谈记录进行分析以识别编码和主题。
对转录本的定性分析揭示了 5 个主题：（a）大流行引发的恐惧，（b）极度孤立感带来的困扰，（c）对错误信息的信任，（d）大流行期间的应对策略，以及（e）获得基本服务的重要性。
这场大流行凸显了独居且认知能力受损的老年人的脆弱性和未满足的需求。研究结果强调需要为这一人群扩大家庭护理助理和心理健康服务的获取途径。
