Resilient Seniors: How Older Adults with Depression Thrived During the Pandemic

A study on older adults in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and New York found no rise in anxiety or depression during COVID-19 among those already with major depressive illness.

Older adults in ongoing trials for treatment-resistant depression demonstrated remarkable resilience to isolation stress, as reported by UCLA and other institutions in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

As the most vulnerable group by definition, we assumed they would be more susceptible to the stress of COVID,” said Helen Lavretsky, MD, a professor-in-residence at UCLA’s Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour and an expert in psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences. However, we discovered that depressed elderly persons can also be strong. They claimed that having to deal with long-term depression made them tough.

During the first two months of the pandemic, researchers interviewed Older Adults over 60, averaging 69 years. No differences in sadness, anxiety, or suicidality were found using the PHQ-9 and PROMIS screening tests before and during the pandemic.

Researchers also discovered that:

1. Despite physical distancing, most Older Adults avoided social isolation by using virtual technology to stay connected with loved ones.
2. Their primary concern was the risk of contracting the virus, overshadowing fears of isolation.
3. Participants saw a decline in quality of life during the pandemic, fearing extended distancing could worsen mental health issues.
4. The government’s lackluster response fueled significant frustration among the participants.

Supporting Older Adults: Essential Strategies and Insights for Maintaining Mental Health and Quality of Life During the Pandemic

The study concluded that to support older adults, policies must ensure access to healthcare and social interaction during the pandemic.

According to Lavretsky, many participants expressed a reduced quality of life and expressed concern that continuing physical distance might negatively impact their mental health. According to her, more investigation is required to ascertain the pandemic’s long-term effects.

She continued by saying that others can learn from the results as they navigate the pandemic. “Compared to many of us, these elderly people suffering from depression have experienced stress for a longer period of time. We could take inspiration and lessons from their tenacity.”

Participants used self-care strategies like routines, engaging activities, and mindfulness to manage unpleasant feelings and focus on the present.

The authors stressed that older adults need access to mental health services, support networks, and ongoing social interaction.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Washington University, Columbia University, and the University of Pittsburgh sent researchers.

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh provided funding for the study.