Social, Digital and Community Capital Facilitated COVID-19 Pandemic Resilience in a Qualitative Survey of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Concerns.
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| Title: | Social, Digital and Community Capital Facilitated COVID-19 Pandemic Resilience in a Qualitative Survey of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Concerns. |
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| Authors: | Wright, Annie Mae1, Demnitz-King, Harriet1, Burton, Alexandra2, Morse, Rachel M.1, Alberts, Sweedal1, Kenten, Charlotte1, Espinoza Jeraldo, Rosario Isabel1, Poppe, Michaela1, Barber, Julie2, Cooper, Claudia1 claudia.cooper@qmul.ac.uk |
| Source: | Inquiry (00469580). 6/13/2025, Vol. 62, p1-15. 15p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Psychological resilience, *Qualitative research, *Content analysis, *Psychological adaptation, *Social networks, *COVID-19 pandemic, Dementia prevention, Social capital, Lifestyles, Mild cognitive impairment, Psychological distress, Research funding, Mental health, Health status indicators, Statistical sampling, Randomized controlled trials, Loneliness, Descriptive statistics, Cognition disorders, Well-being, Social isolation, Diet, Psychosocial factors, Old age |
| Abstract: | The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected known dementia risk factors and cognition in older adults. Our objective was to explore how older adults with cognitive concerns (ie, MCI or SCD) were able, or not able to engage in lifestyle activities associated with dementia prevention and maintain their wellbeing. We invited adults with mild cognitive concerns without dementia, aged ≥60 years participating in a randomised controlled trial of a psychosocial, secondary dementia prevention intervention, to complete a semi-structured survey, regarding how the pandemic impacted their lifestyle and wellbeing in areas relevant to dementia risk: social connections, activities, diet, mental and physical health, community and family support. Data was collected between October 2020 and December 2022; we inductively coded responses using manifest content analysis. 551/748 trial participants completed the survey. Most (n = 530, 96%) described pandemic-related lifestyle or wellbeing changes; two thirds (n = 369/545, 67.7%) reported less activities. A quarter (n = 145, 26.8%) identified no change in social connections, with others reporting less in-person meetings (n = 139, 25.7%) or speaking to less people (n = 99; 18.2%); a minority engaged in compensatory online activities (n = 31, 5.7%) and online (n = 63, 11.6%) or phone (n = 90, 16.6%) social contact. Relatively few reported weight gain (n = 22, 4.0%); two-thirds reported no change in their diet (n = 360, 66.1%). Modes of support changed, with reliance on food parcels, online services and shopping by neighbours. Over half reported (almost exclusively negative) mental health pandemic-related changes (n = 307, 56.9%), including depression, stress, fear and loneliness; many reported declines in physical health (n = 153, 28.1%) and/or fitness (n = 70, 12.8%). Stoical accounts of adaptation and resilience, enabled by technology and community support predominated, but were not possible for all. Creating communities where cognitively frail people are more digitally and socially connected will support resilience of this group and contribute to dementia prevention, now and in any future pandemic. Trial registration- ISRCTN17325135 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Inquiry (00469580) is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected known dementia risk factors and cognition in older adults. Our objective was to explore how older adults with cognitive concerns (ie, MCI or SCD) were able, or not able to engage in lifestyle activities associated with dementia prevention and maintain their wellbeing. We invited adults with mild cognitive concerns without dementia, aged ≥60 years participating in a randomised controlled trial of a psychosocial, secondary dementia prevention intervention, to complete a semi-structured survey, regarding how the pandemic impacted their lifestyle and wellbeing in areas relevant to dementia risk: social connections, activities, diet, mental and physical health, community and family support. Data was collected between October 2020 and December 2022; we inductively coded responses using manifest content analysis. 551/748 trial participants completed the survey. Most (n = 530, 96%) described pandemic-related lifestyle or wellbeing changes; two thirds (n = 369/545, 67.7%) reported less activities. A quarter (n = 145, 26.8%) identified no change in social connections, with others reporting less in-person meetings (n = 139, 25.7%) or speaking to less people (n = 99; 18.2%); a minority engaged in compensatory online activities (n = 31, 5.7%) and online (n = 63, 11.6%) or phone (n = 90, 16.6%) social contact. Relatively few reported weight gain (n = 22, 4.0%); two-thirds reported no change in their diet (n = 360, 66.1%). Modes of support changed, with reliance on food parcels, online services and shopping by neighbours. Over half reported (almost exclusively negative) mental health pandemic-related changes (n = 307, 56.9%), including depression, stress, fear and loneliness; many reported declines in physical health (n = 153, 28.1%) and/or fitness (n = 70, 12.8%). Stoical accounts of adaptation and resilience, enabled by technology and community support predominated, but were not possible for all. Creating communities where cognitively frail people are more digitally and socially connected will support resilience of this group and contribute to dementia prevention, now and in any future pandemic. Trial registration- ISRCTN17325135 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 00469580 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/00469580251332062 |
