Necessary but not sufficient: examination of older adults’ connectedness with their online social contact during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and physical distancing requirements on engagement with and sense of connectedness to social activities among older adults.

Method

Community-dwelling cognitively healthy older adults (N = 126) completed self-report questionnaires post-lock down (November 2020 to February 2021) assessing participation format (face-to-face with restrictions, online), frequency of attendance, and connectedness with a range of existing social groups.

Results

Thirty-two percent of participants stopped and had not re-engaged with social activities post lockdown. These participants reported the lowest connectedness ratings and quality of life related to psychological health than compared to those who continued to engage with social groups, albeit in a controlled format. Adapted face-to-face formats were associated with significantly greater connectedness than engagement via online methods for hobbies, cultural activities, meal entertainment, and other social activities, but not for sporting, community, religious, or volunteering activities. Qualitative data suggested online social participation was not as enjoyable as adapted face-to-face formats.

Conclusions

For older adults who attended social activities via online formats, sense of connectedness was reduced for some activities. Given the importance of social connectedness for well-being in late life, interventions may be needed to help older adults re-engage in face-to-face formats without restrictions.

Key Points

What is already known about this topic:

1. Poor social connection is associated with reduced mental well-being and physical health in older adults.

2. Local lockdown orders in response to the 2020 wave of the COVID-19 pandemic led to temporary closure of community activities groups, suspension of religious, sporting, and social activities. and restrictions on face-to-face contact with family.

3. Many community organisations, social groups, and families adapted activities to online formats.

What this topic adds:

1. Older adult who stopped attending and did not re-engage in social groups had the lowest connectedness ratings and quality of life related to psychological health, compared to those who continued to engage with social groups in some format.

2. Face-to-face engagement, even with restrictions, was associated with significantly greater connectedness in older adults than engagement online for hobby, cultural activities, meal entertainment and other social activities besides sporting, community, religious, or volunteering activities.

3. Qualitative data suggested that online social participation was not as enjoyable as adapted face-to-face formats.

KEYWORDS:

• Ageing
• COVID-19
• loneliness
• mental health
• social connection
• technology

Author contributions

J. Chen designed the study, carried out data collection, analysed the data and prepared the manuscript. V. Wuthrich co-designed the study, assisted with data analysis and manuscript preparation. D. Matovic assisted with data analysis and manuscript preparation. R. Rapee assisted with the design of the study, data analysis and manuscript preparation.

Ethics approval

This study received ethical approval by the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (reference: 52020916322285).

Practice impact statement

With increasing emphasis on improving the mental well-being of older Australians, this study suggests that a significant number of older adults stopped engaging in social activities during COVID-19, and for those who adapted to online formats, sense of connectedness was reduced for some activities. Given the importance of social connectedness for well-being in late life, intervention may be needed to assist older adults re-engage in face-to-face formats without restrictions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Grant Number: 1755800) and Beyond Blue.