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We have developed a preliminary method of assessing bone erosion in gout using conventional CT. Further testing of this method is now required, ideally in prospective studies to allow analysis of the sensitivity to change of the measure.

Background and Objectives While research on loneliness in later life has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, we still lack diverse qualitative approaches capturing lived experiences of lonely older adults. Approaches to research with older adults instead of on them are also scant in gerontological literature on loneliness. Through solicited diaries, this study aimed to explore how older Australians who were already lonely before the pandemic managed lockdowns (stay-at-home orders) in Victoria, Australia, which lived through one of the longest lockdowns in the world. Research Design and Methods This article is based on qualitative diaries completed by 32 older adults (aged 65+). Diaries provide a ‘live’ document where participants become active research partners, recording and sharing their perceptions and experiences. This method is useful to capture sensitive issues, but to our knowledge has not been employed in loneliness studies. Data were thematically analyzed through identification of themes within and across diaries. Results Loneliness was defined by participants as a detrimental absence of companionship and meaningful social interactions. For most, lockdowns exacerbated loneliness, presented new triggers, and upended coping strategies. The disruption of the ‘emotion work’ involved with managing loneliness led to a reconfiguration of response strategies, including through digital technology, which brought both challenges (e.g., digital ageism) and opportunities (e.g., novel communication forms). Discussion and Implications Understanding how older people living alone define and respond to loneliness in diverse contexts – for example, before and during a pandemic that restricted social interaction – provides critical insights to inform interventions to tackle loneliness.

This article draws on crystallization, a qualitative framework developed by Laurel Richardson and Laura Ellingson, to show the potential of using sociological narratives and creative writing to better analyze and represent the lived experiences of loneliness among older people living in Australian care homes. Crystallization uses a multi-genre approach to study and present social phenomena. At its core is a concern for the ethics of representation, which is critical when engaging with vulnerable populations. We use two case studies from research on loneliness to illustrate an application of crystallization through different narrative types. To supplement our sociological narratives, we invited author Josephine Wilson to write creative narratives based on the case studies. Josephine was awarded the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2017 for Extinctions, a novel exploring themes such as later life and loneliness. By contrasting the two approaches—sociological and creative narratives—we discuss the implications of crystallization for qualitative research.