Jessica R. Daly|Colin A. Depp|Sarah Graham|Dilip V. Jeste|Ho Cheol Kim|Ellen Lee|Camille Nebeker
Health Impacts of the Stay-at-Home Order on Community-Dwelling Older Adults and How Technologies May Help: Focus Group Study
Institute on Aging|University of California, San Diego|Human Longevity (United States)|Institute on Aging|University of California, San Diego|Institute on Aging|University of California, San Diego|Institute on Aging|University of California, San Diego|IBM Research - Almaden|Institute on Aging|University of California, San Diego|Human Longevity (United States)|University of California, San Diego
background march 2021 usa covid19 pandemic resulted 500000 deaths majority people 65 years age since start pandemic march 2020 preventive measures including lockdowns social isolation quarantine social distancing implemented reduce viral spread measures effective risk prevention may contribute increased social isolation loneliness among older adults negatively impact mental physical health objective study aimed assess impact covid19 pandemic resulting stayathome order mental physical health older adults explore ways safely increase social connectedness among methods qualitative study involved older adults living continued care senior housing community ccshc southern california usa four 90minute focus groups convened using zoom video communications platform may 2020 involving 21 ccshc residents participants asked describe managing stayathome mandate implemented march 2020 including impact physical mental health transcripts focus group analyzed using qualitative methods results four themes emerged qualitative data 1 impact quarantine health wellbeing 2 communication innovation technology use 3 effective ways coping quarantine 4 improving access technology training participants reported threat mental physical health directly tied quarantine exacerbated social isolation decreased physical activity technology identified lifeline many socially isolated friends family conclusions study findings suggest technology access connectivity literacy potential gamechangers supporting mental physical health older adults must prioritized future research