Analyzing the Elderly’s Quarantine-related Experiences in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aimed to discover the lived experiences of the older adults from quarantine during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods & Materials: This qualitative study employed a content analysis method. Sampling was performed in 10 subjects using a purposive sampling method and continued until data saturation. Semi-Structured face-to-face interviews were used to collect the necessary data. The texts of the interviews were analyzed by qualitative method. Results: As a result of the interviews, the two main themes of negative outcomes with the sub-themes of illness anxiety, low mood, death anxiety, interpersonal conflicts, social isolation, treatment limitations, and reduced physical activity as well as the main themes of positive outcomes with the sub-theme of lifestyle improvements were discovered. Each of the above-mentioned themes had several supporting semantic units. Conclusion: The themes discovered based on lived experience provided useful information about the effects of quarantine on biopsychological health and quality of life of the elderly; these characteristics can be considered in treatment planning and measures for this group.