The last few years have seen a noticeable divide in society between generations, especially in political terms, with older people leaning towards conservative parties, and younger people leaning towards liberal parties.  Are there similar divides emerging in terms of our response to Covid-19?

New research from the University of Georgia suggests the answer is yes.  The study revealed that while older Americans said they had been through worst in their time, they were nonetheless feeling the strain of the stresses associated with the virus, and especially the prolonged social distancing measures in place to counter it.

“Many of the social venues that help older adults stay engaged are effectively cut off now with social distancing. While the internet can help with some connections, it is hard to replace human contact,” the researchers say. “And for some these remote connections aren’t possible due to no reliable internet.”

Age and covid

The researchers surveyed nearly a thousand adults aged 60 and above from across the United States to understand how they were coping after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that older adults stay at home to protect themselves from the virus.  The researchers were particularly keen to understand any differences that might exist between adults aged between 60-70, and those aged 71 and above.

Two key themes emerged from the research, the first of which is that there did indeed appear to be a distinction between ‘young’ old and their older peers.  Around 40% of the 60-70 year olds said they felt moderately or very stressed, with a consistent feeling of a lack of control over their lives.

This coincides with the same subgroup also reporting a range of unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive eating and drinking.  What’s more, around a third reported that they were exercising less, although the researchers note that the same number also said they were exercising more.

Older resilience

Their older peers, however, seemed to be handling matters altogether better, with 74% saying they were experiencing no additional stress, with many suggesting the pandemic was no worse than the various wars they had lived through.

“That’s where older adults have a strength,” the researchers say. “They have life experience and coping mechanisms that we don’t often give them credit for, but that’s part of their wisdom. We can really turn to older adults as examples of how to manage and live through bad periods of history.”

It’s perhaps not surprising that elderly people across the board were using technology to communicate with friends and family.  There appeared to be considerable change in communication habits, with many more elderly people using platforms such as Skype and Facebook than they did before the pandemic.

The researchers believe their findings are vital for public health professionals in helping them to understand what is an extremely vulnerable group, both in terms of the physical effects of Covid-19, and also the mental effects.