Centre for Ageing, Cognition and Wellbeing, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Clin Gerontol. 2022 Jan-Feb;45(1):106-119. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2021.1884158. Epub 2021 Feb 24.
This study examined the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on health and lifestyle factors for older adults in Sydney, Australia. The study examined demographic differences, social engagement, loneliness, physical activity, emotion regulation, technology use, and grandparenting experiences and their contribution to emotional health and quality of life during lockdown.
Participants were 201 community-dwelling older adults (60-87 years, = 70.55, = 6.50; 67.8% female) who completed self-report scales measuring physical and emotional health outcomes, quality of life, health service utilization, changes in diet and physical activity, impacts on grandparenting roles, and uptake of new technology.
One-third of older adults experienced depression, and 1 in 5 experienced elevated anxiety and/or psychological distress during lockdown. Specific emotion regulation strategies, better social and family engagement, and new technology use were associated with better emotional health and quality of life; 63% of older adults used new technologies to connect with others.
Older adults were adaptable and resilient during lockdown, demonstrating high uptake of new technologies to remain connected to others, while negative emotional health outcomes were linked to loneliness and unhelpful emotion regulation.
Further diversifying use of video technologies may facilitate improved physical and emotional health outcomes.
本研究考察了 COVID-19 封锁对澳大利亚悉尼老年人健康和生活方式因素的影响。该研究考察了人口统计学差异、社交参与度、孤独感、身体活动、情绪调节、技术使用以及祖辈育儿经验，以及它们在封锁期间对情绪健康和生活质量的贡献。
参与者为 201 名居住在社区的老年人（60-87 岁， = 70.55， = 6.50；67.8%为女性），他们完成了自我报告量表，测量身体和情绪健康结果、生活质量、卫生服务利用、饮食和身体活动的变化、对祖辈育儿角色的影响以及新技术的采用。
三分之一的老年人在封锁期间经历了抑郁，五分之一的老年人经历了焦虑和/或心理困扰的增加。特定的情绪调节策略、更好的社交和家庭参与度以及新技术的使用与更好的情绪健康和生活质量相关；63%的老年人使用新技术与他人联系。
老年人在封锁期间具有适应性和韧性，他们高度采用新技术与他人保持联系，而负面的情绪健康结果与孤独和无益的情绪调节有关。
进一步多样化视频技术的使用可能有助于改善身体和情绪健康结果。
