COVID-19, INEQUALITY AND OLDER PEOPLE : everyday life during the pandemic

EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. This book provides new insights into the challenges facing older people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws upon novel qualitative longitudinal research which recorded the experiences of a diverse group of people aged 50+ in Greater Manchester over a 12-month period during the pandemic. The book analyses their lived experiences and those of organisations working to support them, shedding light on the isolating effects of social distancing. Focusing on interviews with 21 organisations, as well as 102 people from four ethnic/identity groups, the authors argue that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in the UK, disproportionately affecting low-income neighbourhoods and minority ethnic communities. The book outlines recommendations in relation to developing a ‘community-centred approach’ in responding to future variants of COVID-19, as well as making suggestions for how to create post-pandemic neighbourhoods.EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. This book provides new insights into the challenges facing older people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws upon novel qualitative longitudinal research which recorded the experiences of a diverse group of people aged 50+ in Greater Manchester over a 12-month period during the pandemic. The book analyses their lived experiences and those of organisations working to support them, shedding light on the isolating effects of social distancing. Focusing on interviews with 21 organisations, as well as 102 people from four ethnic/identity groups, the authors argue that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in the UK, disproportionately affecting low-income neighbourhoods and minority ethnic communities. The book outlines recommendations in relation to developing a ‘community-centred approach’ in responding to future variants of COVID-19, as well as making suggestions for how to create post-pandemic neighbourhoods Cover 1 COVID-19, Inequality and Older People: Everyday Life during the Pandemic 2 Copyright information 3 Table of Contents 4 List of figures and tables 5 About the authors 6 Acknowledgements 7 Foreword 8 1 Introduction 10 The impact of the pandemic on older people 11 Background to the study 13 Interdisciplinary approach and aims 14 Outline of the chapters 15 2 A sociological analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on older people 18 Introduction 18 Biomedical constructions of ageing 19 COVID-19 and social inequality 23 Living in areas of multiple deprivation 26 Living with precarity 28 Conclusion 30 3 Methodology of the study 31 Introduction 31 Methodological approach 31 The sample 33 Interviews with community organisations 33 Interviews with older people 33 Data collection 35 Data analysis 42 Case study: Greater Manchester 43 Conclusion 45 4 Everyday life under lockdown: relationships and routines 47 Introduction 47 Experiences of lockdown 47 The impact of lockdown 48 The impact of shielding 51 Maintaining routines 53 Shopping under lockdown 56 Christmas under lockdown 57 Feeling older under lockdown 60 Physical and mental deterioration 61 Reflections on the impact of lockdowns and social distancing 62 The impact of bereavement 65 Conclusion 67 5 Experiences of the pandemic: a biographical and longitudinal analysis of four case studies 69 Introduction 69 Carl 70 Frank 73 Raquela 76 Soraya 80 COVID-19 and the life-course 84 Conclusion 86 6 Changes in relationships 87 Introduction 87 Increased isolation: the case of single men 88 Isolation and care in the home 91 Relationships with neighbours and local community 94 Use of outdoor and communal spaces 98 Reinventing relationships: the role of technology 101 Keeping connected 102 Maintaining religious practice 103 Digital exclusion 105 Technology and the LGBTQ+ community 106 Conclusion 108 7 The role of community organisations and social infrastructure 110 Introduction 110 Initial responses to the pandemic 111 Adaptations to services and support 112 Provision and distribution of food 113 Moving services and activities online 114 Telephone befriending and other ways of keeping in touch 116 Mental health and well-being support 117 The role of older people in networks of support 119 Gaps in support for older people 120 Supporting mental health and well-being 120 The need for culturally relevant and accessible information and services 120 Loss of opportunities for face-to-face contact 121 Digital exclusion and further isolation 122 Working with socially excluded groups 123 Looking to the future 125 Conclusion 127 8 Understanding everyday life during the pandemic 129 Introduction 129 Role of technology 130 Issues and concerns relevant to the future care and support of older people 132 Ageing under lockdown 132 Social isolation during the pandemic 133 Relationships with family and friends 134 The role of the home and neighbourhoods during the crisis 135 Conclusion 137 9 COVID-19, inequality and older people: developing community-centred interventions 138 Introduction 138 Developing age-friendly communities 139 Community participation and COVID-19 140 Community-centred strategies and tackling COVID-19 142 Promoting community participation 142 Recruiting community advocates 144 Developing social infrastructure 145 National funding 146 Developing long-term community-centred policies 147 Conclusion 149 10 Conclusion 150 Lived experience of the pandemic 150 Reflections on the design of the study 152 Future areas of research 154 The wider context of precarity 157 References 160 Index 171 This book provides new insights into the challenges facing older people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws upon novel qualitative longitudinal research which recorded the experiences of a diverse group of people aged 50+ in Greater Manchester over a 12-month during the pandemic. The book analyses their lived experiences and those of organisations working to support them, shedding light on the isolating effects of social distancing. Covering 21 organisations, as well as 102 people from four ethnic/identity groups, the authors argue that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in the UK, disproportionately affecting low-income neighbourhoods and Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. The book outlines recommendations in relation to developing a ‘community-centred approach’ in responding to future variants of COVID-19, as well as making suggestions for how to create post-pandemic neighbourhoods. This book provides new insights into the challenges facing older people in Greater Manchester in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on novel longitudinal research, the book analyses their lived experiences and those of organisations working to support them, shedding light on the isolating effects of social distancing.