Publication details
Dopady opatření proti covid-19 na exkluzi ze sociálních vztahů seniorů a seniorek
| Title in English | Effects of the measures against COVID-19 on the exclusion from social relations of older men and older women |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Proměny rodiny 10 : Vztahy v rodině v čase pandemie. Sborník příspěvků z konference |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | sborník - full text |
| Keywords | exclusion from social relations; older adults; SHARE; loneliness |
| Description | Exclusion from social relations in old age is a situation in which people are socially and emotionally disconnected from adequate levels of intimate relationships, social networks, social support and/or social opportunities, with gender being both a cross-cutting and an overarching factor influencing the experience of social exclusion from relationships in older age. It is a broader concept that includes feelings of loneliness and has significant negative impacts on health and quality of life in old age. The measures implemented in the context of COVID-19 have meant a significant reduction or even interruption of personal contacts. While for some older men and women these measures have only had significant negative impacts, others have found creative compensatory strategies to mitigate the impacts. In this paper, I analyze the effects of the measures on older adults’ risk of exclusion from social relations using two data sources. I analysed the changes in frequency of contact and feelings of loneliness using SHARE data (data from two COVID modules are currently available for the Czech Republic – Spring 2020 and Fall 2020), and coping strategies through qualitative interviews with 29 older adults at risk of loneliness conducted in the winter period 2020–2021. The results show considerable variability in the impact of the interventions depending on the agency of older men and women and their capacity and ability to find coping strategies that are appropriate for them. The difficulty of the situation of the socially excluded older adults was exacerbated. |
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