The COVID-19 pandemic has upended lives, but looks like it did more good than bad for a few. A recent study suggests that older adults in England have greater general happiness, life satisfaction, and sense of purpose than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic.
A study published in the journal Aging and Mental Health looked at the recovery of psychological well-being following the COVID-19 pandemic. They tracked 3,999 people over the age of 50 in England for 11 years, to understand the positive psychological well-being and depression within this group.
A team from UCL (University College London) drew on data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) between 2012 to 2023. In the study, they found that all aspects of psychological well-being declined in the second half of 2020, with happiness dropping by 4%, positive well-being by 4%, and life satisfaction by 7%. But what followed was surprise.
By 2021–2023, eudemonic well-being (whether a life feels worthwhile) had rebounded significantly, and both eudemonic well-being and life satisfaction had risen to levels even higher than before the pandemic. The researchers analysed three types of positive well-being: affective well-being (happiness), eudemonic well-being, and evaluative well-being (life satisfaction).
Before COVID, the overall rates of depression in older people rose from 11.4% to 27.2% during the pandemic. However, afterward, they remained slightly elevated at 14.9%, The authors came to a hypothesis that the ongoing raised level could be because of the pressure faced by the health service, with people unable to, or choosing not to, seek help.
“Our research showed that the pandemic had a profound effect on the well-being of older people in England. As many would expect, we found that well-being declined during the pandemic, and instances of depression rose. While depression is still slightly more prevalent than before 2020, remarkably, overall older people are now happier, more satisfied, and have a greater sense of purpose than before the pandemic. We can only speculate on the reasons for this. It perhaps could reflect a renewed appreciation for social connections and meaningful activities, as well as increased psychological resilience after a period of adversity. Improved health security following widespread vaccinations could also have contributed to this positive shift,” Paola Zaninotto, the lead author and professor of Medical and Social Statistics at UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health said in a statement.
“We saw marked differences by age and affluence, underscoring the importance of tailored support policies for the immediate and lingering effects of pandemics on the well-being of our older population,” Zaninotto added.
Prior to the pandemic, people in their 50s had poorer positive well-being than older groups. The factors behind it could be midlife stressors such as financial responsibilities, caregiving roles, and work pressures.
However, during the pandemic, the researchers found that people in their 50s did not become significantly more unhappy. This could be because their positive well-being levels were already low. In this group, the researchers observed an increase in depressive symptoms, but they also showed greater recovery post-pandemic, which could be a good degree of resilience or an ability to adapt.
The researchers observed smaller improvements in depression and positive well-being in people aged over 75, after the pandemic. This could be a result of their persistent vulnerabilities as they may have socialized less, had more health limitations, or have been slower to adapt, psychologically.
Depression levels were consistently higher among the least affluent group across all time periods. However, wealthier participants experienced a greater decline in psychological well-being during the pandemic. More significant drops in happiness, eudemonic well-being, and life satisfaction were observed. This could be due to greater disruptions in their routines, as they were unable to engage in activities like travel, socializing, or dining out, which were likely a more regular part of their lifestyle.
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