A Life on Hold: A qualitative study exploring the long term impact of shielding from COVID-19 on the psychosocial health of older people

COVID-19 is one of the biggest ongoing public health emergencies known to affect the world. In the United Kingdom (UK) measures employed to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 included social distancing and shielding (protecting particularly vulnerable people at high risk of severe illness by minimising all interaction with others). These measures have been highlighted as having the potential to adversely affect health and mental wellbeing in the short and long-term. Although there are emerging findings on the short-term impact of preventative measures on older people, it is vital to understand the long-term effects as the COVID-19 pandemic becomes endemic. This novel PhD study aims to explore this unknown area by investigating the psychosocial impact of shielding from COVID-19 on older people. The aim of this PhD study is to firstly explore the longer-term psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and wellbeing of older people. Secondly, this study will explore how support services can better support older people in light of the pandemic. The study will firstly involve a review of literature on the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and wellbeing of older people. Second, the study will involve semi-structured interviews with older people. The interview questions will focus on the longer-term psychosocial impact of the pandemic on their health and well-being. The questions will also reflect the current circumstances in the pandemic. The third stage of the study will explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals and voluntary workers on the longer-term impact of the pandemic on older people and gaps in support provision. The findings from this study will provide an understanding of shielding experiences and will identify unmet needs, and inform service provision for older people. This project will provide evidence on how we can better support the health and wellbeing of older people in light of the pandemic. This is particularly important as even with the current production and roll out of vaccines, COVID-19 remains an ongoing issue and is thought to do so for the foreseeable, presenting further challenges for older people.