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Altered lives in a time of crisis: Preparing for recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of older adults

The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of older adults will be dramatic and long-lasting. The negative effects of the pandemic and public health interventions (such as cocooning) will have serious implications for longer-term physical wellbeing, mental and cognitive health. This may lead to a social as well as economic recession in the coming months and years. Older adults may be at particular risk given their specific needs and vulnerabilities, and also the contributions they make to their families and communities.
The project will rapidly administer a Self-Completion Questionnaire (SCQ) to a nationally representative sample of 6,000 older adults. The sample consists of current participants in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Based on experience, a response rate of >85% is expected. The questionnaire will collect information on the experience of older adults of COVID-19 symptomology and testing; changes to behaviours in response to emergency public health interventions; and the effect of the pandemic on physical, mental, and cognitive wellbeing. We will also collate data on unmet healthcare needs; information sources; and the experience of discrimination based on age (ageism).
Data collected during the project will be linked to an existing 10-years of social, economic and health data collected by TILDA from these same participants. We will also link the project data to the next TILDA study interview, including health assessment with accompanying blood samples, therefore creating an invaluable epidemiological resource to support tailored public health responses.
An experienced team of researchers, including members from the Department of Health and Health Service Executive, have been mobilised. The research infrastructure is also in place. TILDA is therefore uniquely positioned to use its existing data infrastructure and large representative sample to rapidly assist public-health policy makers and healthcare systems understand the effect of the pandemic on older adults.