Older adults living alone and COVID-19; The lived experience of older adults living alone in the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 Research Area(s): Mental Health & Wellbeing, Social Impacts

This research explores the lived experience of older adults living alone in the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults are a vulnerable group in the pandemic and may be especially vulnerable to its mental health consequences, particularly those related to isolation due to containment measures. Thus, older adults living alone warrant special attention. This study is a qualitative, phenomenological inquiry that examines the subjective experience of older adults living alone in the pandemic. This research will provide important insight given the unprecedented nature of the current pandemic and the limited extant literature on the mental health impact of epidemics on older adults.