నైరూప్య

The influence of COVID on cognition and behavior in older adults.

Emily Aquadro1, Lee Hyer2*, Brad Lian3, Cristine Negrea4, M.G. Hambrick5

The COVID-19 pandemic has rasied many questions about the meaning of care for older adults. This study addresses one segment of this population, residents in Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs). We provide a mixed-method study, a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, in an effort to expose the experience of ALF residents and a case to further elaborate on this. Psychometric data were taken from 147 residents on their cogition, behavior, function purpose in life, socialization (loneliness), health, anxiety, depression and sleep. This was done during the first stage of the pandemic into the start of the second phase. Results indicated that ALF residents performed well in this context. As a whole, they were not anxious or depressed, had a reasonable purpose in life, were not exceedingly lonely, and demonstrated reasonable levels of behavior and function. The cognition levels varied but 50% were lower. A case was identified from an independent ALF to unearth the phenomenology of these data. This resident had a dementia and reacted well in this context also. We concluded that older adults in ALFs are responding reasonably well in their settings and suggest further study to further validate this.