The Impact of a Canadian Model of Aging in Place on Community Dwelling Older Adults' Experience of Physical Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Laura Garcia Diaz; Evelyne Durocher; Carrie McAiney; Julie Richardson; Lori Letts

doi:10.1007/s12126-022-09509-2

The Impact of a Canadian Model of Aging in Place on Community Dwelling Older Adults' Experience of Physical Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ageing Int. 2022 Sep 28:1-25. doi: 10.1007/s12126-022-09509-2. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Laura Garcia Diaz¹, Evelyne Durocher¹, Carrie McAiney^{2

3}, Julie Richardson¹, Lori Letts¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Applied Health Sciences Building, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON Canada.
² School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON Canada.
³ Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, 250 Laurelwood Dr, Waterloo, ON Canada.

Abstract

Naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) are unplanned communities with a high proportion of residents aged 65 years and older. Oasis is a Canadian aging in place model that combines health and supportive community services for adults aged 65 years and older within NORCs. The aims of this study were to explore how physical distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted older adults living in a NORC (Oasis members) and to investigate whether Oasis served as a context for social connection and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. An interpretive description methodology guided this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Oasis members (aged 66-77 years) and two Oasis site coordinators. The Oasis members also completed a social network mapping activity guided by the hierarchical mapping technique. Three overarching themes related to the impact of physical distancing on Oasis members during the COVID-19 pandemic were identified: (1) unintended consequences of physical distancing restrictions on participants' wellbeing; (2) face-to-face interactions are important for social connection; and (3) family, friend, healthcare provider, and community support mitigated the impact of physical distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, two of Oasis' core pillars were found to support participants: strengthening social connectivity and connection to pre-existing community services. Findings illustrate that community programs like Oasis acted as a source of resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and advance our understanding of the impact of aging in place models on community dwelling older adults' experience of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Aging in place; Community support; Naturally occurring retirement communities; Seniors.

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