(Im)mobilities and life satisfaction in times of COVID-19: The case of older persons in Switzerland

Dones, Iuna; Ciobanu, Ruxandra Oana; Baeriswyl, Marie

doi:10.32920/ihtp.v2i1.1590

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Moreover, Italian natives relied on telephone communication as a coping mechanism more than the other two groups. While staying in touch with family and friends through phone and other media use has been correlated with life satisfaction during the first semi-lockdown in Switzerland (Dones et al, 2022 ), studies found that non-personal communication does not substitute face-to-face interactions and it is not a protective strategy against loneliness among older adults (Pan et al, 2021 ; König and Isengard, 2023 ). Further research should thus address the effectiveness of different coping strategies in times of crisis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older adults' experiences of wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative qualitative study in Italy and Switzerland

Dones,

Ciobanu

2024

Front. Sociol.

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BackgroundParticularly at the beginning of the pandemic, adults aged 65 and older were portrayed as a homogeneously vulnerable population due to the elevated health risks associated with contracting the COVID-19 disease. This portrayal, combined with travel restrictions, closures of economic sectors, country-wide lockdowns, and suggestions by governmental authorities to limit social contact, had important implications for the wellbeing of older individuals. However, older adults are a heterogeneous population who relies on different resources to cope with stressful periods, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, countries also employed different measures to contain the virus. Research thus far has focused on the short-term consequences of the pandemic, but studies have yet to address its long-term consequences.ObjectivesWe explore older adults' lived experiences nearly 2 years after the pandemic onset. Moreover, we focus on the bordering countries of Switzerland and Italy, who employed contrasting containment measures. This paper analyzes (1) How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the experiences of wellbeing of older adults in these regions and (2) How older adults coped with the stressors brought about by the pandemic, in particular social distancing.MethodsThe paper draws on 31 semi-structured interviews with 11 Swiss natives residing in Switzerland, 10 Italian migrants residing in Switzerland, and 10 Italian natives residing in Italy. Interviews were conducted from December 2021 to March 2022.ResultsCoping mechanisms of the three groups related to acceptance, hobbies, cognitive reframing, telephone use, vaccine use and social distancing. However, results show heterogeneous experiences of wellbeing, with Swiss natives sharing more positive narratives than the other two groups. Moreover, Italian migrants and Italian natives expressed the long-term negative consequences of the pandemic on their experienced wellbeing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%