Walking alone: how movement in nature was used by older people in response to feelings of being alone during COVID-19

Abstract

Humans are social beings. However, during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic in the early months of 2020, it was officially recommended to reduce in-person social contact, especially among older adults. Simultaneously during the pandemic, outdoor activities became increasingly popular. However, research into the potential association between feelings of being alone and physical walks in nature is very limited. To examine the association between outdoor activities and reduced social contact, this study attempted to answer the following research questions: Do experiences from walks in nature influence unwanted feelings of being alone among older people, and if so, how? Six older adults were interviewed. Through Thematic Analysis four themes emerged: Enjoying the aesthetic beauty, being absorbed by nature, feeling the body, and moving on. These findings illustrate aspects of movement and exposure to nature, which may reduce unwanted feelings of being alone. This can be interpreted using theory on the synergistic effects between sensory perceptions and movement. The study finds that feelings of being alone is not only a reflection of the size of one’s social network but is affected by both mental and bodily processes, and that walks in nature may be used by some to combat social isolation, which many people experienced during COVID-19.

Keywords:

• walking
• isolation
• loneliness
• COVID-19
• coronavirus

Acknowledgements

None.

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Research data are not shared due to privacy and ethical reasons.

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.