Is Protecting Older Adults from COVID-19 Ageism? A Comparative Cross-cultural Constructive Grounded Theory from the United Kingdom and Colombia


Derrer-Merk, Elfriede ORCID: 0000-0001-7241-0808, Reyes-Rodriguez, Maria-Fernanda, Salazar, Ana-Maria, Guevara, Marisol, Rodriguez, Gabriela, Fonseca, Ana-Maria, Camacho, Nicolas, Ferson, Scott ORCID: 0000-0002-2613-0650, Mannis, Adam, Bentall, Richard P et al (show 1 more authors) (2022) Is Protecting Older Adults from COVID-19 Ageism? A Comparative Cross-cultural Constructive Grounded Theory from the United Kingdom and Colombia. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, 78 (4). pp. 900-923.

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted people's lives all over the world, requiring health and safety measures intended to stop the virus from spreading. This study explores whether an unintended consequence of these measures is a new form of ageism. We explore, using qualitative methods, the experiences of older adults living through the pandemic in the United Kingdom and Colombia. Although there were some small differences between countries, for the most part, the experiences were similar. We found that older adults reported that they were seen as a homogenous group and experienced both benevolent and hostile ageism and a loss of autonomy as a consequence of COVID-19 protection measures. Participants from both countries expressed anger and frustration, and increased anxiety, and felt that their individuality was ignored. We recommend that policy-makers, the media, and wider society consider the impact of such health and safety measures on older adults in preparing for future pandemics and health challenges.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Aging, Generic health relevance
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 04 Jul 2022 09:27
Last Modified: 14 Mar 2024 18:05
DOI: 10.1111/josi.12538
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12538
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3157730
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