The impact of covid-19 lockdown on the Quality of life, meaningful activities, and frailty in community-dwelling octogenarians: A study in Belgium

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on quality of life (QoL), meaningful daily activities, and (pre)frailty in community-dwelling octogenarians.

Methods

Cross-sectional design with bivariate and multiple linear regression modeling using a stepwise approach examining the level of QoL during the COVID-19 lockdown in a group of 215 community-dwelling octogenarians (M_age = 86.49 ± 3.02). A comprehensive set of biopsychosocial variables (FRAIL scale, general health, engagement in meaningful activities survey, questions on loneliness, and feelings) were used as explaining variables.

Results

Particularly, a decrease in daily activities, social activities, and an increase in free times activities were observed, but the decrease in QoL could be explained by the meaningfulness in activities, together with experiencing emptiness in life, taking ≥ 4 medications a day and feeling down or depressed.

Conclusions

We tried to understand which components contribute to and might affect a person’s QoL caused by restrictions imposed by the governance and its influence on the lives of the community-dwelling octogenarians. As such, this output could be a baseline for the development of minimally impacting countermeasures during future lockdowns.

Clinical implications

Studying lifestyle changes and thus also variables related to QoL during a pandemic, may support policymakers and practitioners to develop relevant interventions.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• Lockdown
• Meaningful activities
• Frailty
• Quality of life

Authors’ contribution

Axelle Costenoble*: COVID-QoL conceptual model, Writing – Original Draft; Methodology; Formal analysis; Investigation; Visualization

Stijn De Baets*: Writing – Original Draft; Methodology; Formal analysis; Investigation; Visualization

Veerle Knoop: Investigation; Writing – Review and Editing

Aziz Debain: Investigation; Writing – Review and Editing

Ivan Bautmans: Conceptualization Butterfly; Funding acquisition; Review and Editing; Project administration; Supervision Butterfly

Dominique Verté: Conceptualization Butterfly; Funding acquisition; supervision; Writing – Review and Editing

Ellen Gorus: Supervision; Conceptualization COVID-QoL conceptual model; Methodology; Writing – Original Draft; Writing – Review and Editing; Formal analysis; Visualization

Patricia De Vriendt: Supervision; Conceptualization COVID-QoL conceptual model; Methodology; Writing – Original Draft; Writing - Review & Editing; Formal analysis; Visualization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

No sponsor’s role is present in this article. Due to IRP, the data are not made publicly available. Requests to access the data should be addressed to the Butterfly project PI Prof. Ivan Bautmans ([email protected]).

Members of the Gerontopole Brussels Study group

Ivan Bautmans [email protected] FRIA, VUB; Dominque Verté [email protected] Belgian Ageing Studies BAST, VUB; Ingo Beyer [email protected] Geriatric Medicine department, UZ Brussel; Mirko Petrovic [email protected] ReFrail, UGent; Nico De Witte [email protected] Belgian Ageing Studies BAST, VUB; Tinie Kardol [email protected] Leerstoel Bevordering Active Ageing, VUB; Gina Rossi [email protected] Clinical and Lifespan Psychology KLEP, VUB; Peter Clarys [email protected] Physical Activity and Nutrition PANU, VUB; Aldo Scafoglieri [email protected] Experimental Anatomy EXAN, VUB; Eric Cattrysse [email protected] Experimental Anatomy EXAN, VUB; Paul de Hert [email protected] Fundamental Rights and Constitutionalism Research group FRC, VUB; Bart Jansen [email protected] Department of Electronics and Informatics ETRO, VUB

Additional information

Funding

This study was partly funded by the ‘Interdisciplinary Research Program’ (IRP) grant from the research council of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.