Tools for Strengthening the Resilience of the Older Generation During the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Example of the Tomsk Academy

This article aims to identify factors which may contribute to the strengthening of the resilience of older adults through the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience is commonly interpreted as an ability to bounce back from adversity and stressful events throughout the life course. In April 2021 we ran a structured interview survey of 400 urban and rural older adults aged 55+ in Tomsk region. The mean age of the participants was 66.25; male participants accounted for 38.25%. Along with socio-demographic indicators, the questionnaire involved respondents' subjective assessments of their income, self-perceived health, religiousness, life satisfaction and happiness. Overall resilience was measured by the validated Russian version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25), ranging from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 100 score points. The mean resilience in the whole sample was 62.5 points. The participants of Tomsk Academy of Active Ageing programmes demonstrated considerably higher mean levels of resilience (71.8 points), though the very fact of participation in educational programmes has weak correlation with resilience. Resilience correlates positively with income (0.380*), physical activity (0.357*) and happiness (0.518***). Interconnection here may work both ways: more resilient older adults may choose to participate in educational activities of the Tomsk Academy of Active Ageing, while educational activities may in turn contribute to higher resilience. To establish the causation, we suggested a linear regression model to reveal the probable predictors of resilience. The results suggest that happiness, physical activity and income proved to significantly affect the overall level of older adults' resilience. These variables explain 34.4% of resilience variability within the suggested model. We also tested three other models with different independent variable combinations, involving life satisfaction, age, religiousness, and self-perceived health; but they all proved to have lower explanatory power. High positive correlation between the level of education and emotional stability during the COVID-19 pandemic for the observed respondents indicates the importance and effectiveness of lifelong education in strengthening resilience. The emotional stability during the pandemic had a weak negative impact on the resilience of the participants of the Tomsk Academy programs, but due to the fact that it has already taken on a long-term nature, only further research will make it clear whether the impact of the pandemic is leveled or intensified over time.

Keywords

Authors

References