Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychosocial Outcomes across Age: A Stress and Coping Framework

Abstract The emergence of COVID-19 and the measures implemented to curb its spread are anticipated to have long-term implications for mental health. Older adults may be at increased risk for adverse mental health outcomes as opportunities to remain socially connected have diminished. Further research is needed to better understand the impact of pandemic-related stress on mental health. Utilizing the stress and coping framework, the purpose of this study is three-fold: 1) to examine the influences of COVID-19-related stress on depression, anxiety, and loneliness, 2) to assess the mediating role of coping style and social support, and 3) to investigate whether these relationships vary across age. Participants (N = 1,318) between the ages of 18-92 years completed an online survey, assessing pandemic-related stress, mental health, social support, coping, and their experiences with social distancing, during the initial implementation of social distancing measures in the United States. Stress, social support, and coping style were related to psychosocial outcomes. Results suggested that avoidant coping mediated the relationship between pandemic-related stress and psychosocial outcomes, particularly depression. Avoidant coping more strongly mediated the relationship between stress and depression in younger adults compared to older adults. Results were consistent with the stress and coping framework and recent work highlighting the older adults’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlight the associations between positive coping behaviors and psychosocial well-being and indicate that older adults may use unique adaptive mechanisms to preserve well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.


EVERYDAY REMEMBERING DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC IN CARING DYADS
Emily Lustig, 1 Alysha Naran, 2 Ann Pearman, 1 and Christopher Hertzog, 1 1.Georgia Institute of Technology,Atlanta,Georgia,United States,2. Georgia Institute of Technology,Atlanta,United States During the COVID-19 global pandemic people's lived experiences and day-to-day lives have been tremendously impacted.This impact is believed to be more severe in people with a memory-impaired partner at home.As part of an ongoing cognitive intervention project with the Emory-Georgia Tech Cognitive Empowerment Program (CEP), we conducted interviews with dyads (one person with diagnosed amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and one person, in this case, a spouse who is an identified care partner).To address the COVID-19 pandemic, we supplemented the existing interview about everyday cognition with several questions about the dyadic experience during the pandemic.To date, we have conducted 5 qualitative interviews with dyads.Preliminary results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional everyday challenges and cognitive burden for care partners of people diagnosed with aMCI.Some of these challenges include the need to manage pandemic precautionary behaviors, such as mask wearing and maintaining social distancing, for both themselves and the care recipient.In contrast, some aspects of everyday remembering among these dyads have improved (e.g. more advance planning of things like grocery shopping and outings).The results of these interviews will provide additional unique insights into the everyday cognitive challenges of the pandemic on caregivers and persons with aMCI.

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES ACROSS AGE: A STRESS AND COPING FRAMEWORK
Jillian Minahan, 1 Francesca Falzarano, 2 Neshat Yazdani, 3 and Karen Siedlecki, 4 1.Fordham University, New Providence, New Jersey, United States,2. Weill Cornell Medicine,New York,New York,United States,3. Fordham University,Bronx,New York,United States,4. Fordham University,New York,New York,United States The emergence of COVID-19 and the measures implemented to curb its spread are anticipated to have long-term implications for mental health.Older adults may be at increased risk for adverse mental health outcomes as opportunities to remain socially connected have diminished.Further research is needed to better understand the impact of pandemic-related stress on mental health.Utilizing the stress and coping framework, the purpose of this study is three-fold: 1) to examine the influences of COVID-19-related stress on depression, anxiety, and loneliness, 2) to assess the mediating role of coping style and social support, and 3) to investigate whether these relationships vary across age.Participants (N = 1,318) between the ages of 18-92 years completed an online survey, assessing pandemic-related stress, mental health, social support, coping, and their experiences with social distancing, during the initial implementation of social distancing measures in the United States.Stress, social support, and coping style were related to psychosocial outcomes.Results suggested that avoidant coping mediated the relationship between pandemic-related stress and psychosocial outcomes, particularly depression.
Avoidant coping more strongly mediated the relationship between stress and depression in younger adults compared to older adults.Results were consistent with the stress and coping framework and recent work highlighting the older adults' resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.Findings highlight the associations between positive coping behaviors and psychosocial well-being and indicate that older adults may use unique adaptive mechanisms to preserve well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

EXPLORATION OF COVID-19-BASED CHANGES TO CAREGIVER BURDEN AND CAREGIVING INTENSITY AMONG INFORMAL CAREGIVERS
Steven Cohen, 1 Zachary Kunicki, 2 Megan Drohan, 1 and Mary Greaney, 1 1.University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States, 2. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States Individuals providing unpaid care of assistance to family members and friends (e.g.informal caregivers), may have been uniquely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Research is needed to examine the pandemic's effect on informal caregivers' caregiving intensity and burden.Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to explore self-reported changes in caregiver intensity (CI) and caregiver burden (CB) due to the pandemic to identify factors associated with changes in responsibilities and burdens.In June 2020, informal caregivers providing care to someone aged 50+ (n=835) reported their current and pre-pandemic caregiving intensity and burden.Data were collected via Amazon's Mechanical Turk.Chi-square tests were used to examine bivariate associations between pandemic time (pre vs. post) differences in CI and CB.Multinomial regression was used to assess multivariate predictors of changes to CI and CB due to COVID-19.Results showed a significant U-shaped association between initial CB and CB change due to COVID-19.Higher levels of initial CB were associated with both a significant decrease in CB during COVID-19 (OR 1.33, 95%CI 1.06-1.67),and a significant increase in CB during COVID-19 (OR 1.22, 95%CI 1.05-1.43).There were no significant associations between initial CB and changes in CI due to COVID-19, although older caregivers were more likely to experience a decrease in CB due to caregiving (OR 1.02, 95%CI 1.00-1.05).These mixed results suggest that caregivers with high initial CB experienced the most extreme changes to CB due to COVID-19.Future planned analyses will focus on understanding the potential drivers behind these unexpected results.

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF AGE-RELATED COVID-19 MESSAGING ON INTERNALIZED AGEISM IN OLDER ADULTHOOD
Ruheena Sangrar, Stephanie Chesser, and Michelle Porter, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Public health messages during the COVID-19 pandemic have indicated a higher risk for older people and/or those who have multiple health conditions.Subsequent societal discourse, however, has at times arguably protested the full protection and treatment of older people from COVID-19, potentially contributing to internalized ageism.To date, how older people interpret age-related pandemic messaging and discourse has not been explored.This study examined older adults' perspectives of age-related COVID-19 messaging and societal discourse, as well as their perceptions of vulnerability, using a social constructionism framework.Adults age 65 to 89 years participated in semi-structured interviews about their thoughts and experiences with ongoing pandemicrelated public messaging.Preliminary analysis suggests that participant perspectives of COVID-19 messaging are situated along a continuum of concern associated with contracting the virus.While some, for example, describe minimal concern, others express being fearful.Individual perceptions of safety appear to be informed, in part, by the presence or absence of an underlying health condition.Individual approaches to media criticism and consumption, personal risk-taking thresholds, financial stability, and social connectedness also appear to influence how the participants perceive pandemic-related messaging.Findings suggest the framing of COVID-19 and pandemic protocols, as well as the media's sensationalization of age-related issues, can impact older peoples' perceived vulnerability of contracting the virus.Future research is needed to understand the long-term implications of ongoing pandemic-related messaging on older adults' experiences of aging, as well as the consequences such messaging could pose to for their health and social behaviors.Results indicated that, as of July 26, 2020, 73.3% and 40.8% of Florida nursing homes had resident COVID-19 cases and death, respectively (N=701).Findings also suggested that Florida nursing homes of large facility size, chain affiliated, and for profit, were significantly more likely to have documented resident COVID-19 cases (p<.05).Larger facility size (120 beds or more), staff shortage, and having prior infection control deficiency citation, were significantly related to the odds of having resident COVID-19 deaths (p<.05).Policy and practice implications and future research directions will be addressed to better protect the at-risk nursing home residents.

QUALITY DEFICIENCIES OF FLORIDA NURSING HOMES WITH COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS Xiaochuan
Wang and Courtney Wilson, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been disproportionately affecting nursing homes throughout the United States, resulting elevated risk for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality to nursing home residents.Given the high percentage of aging population, large number of nursing homes, and staggering surge of COVID-19 cases in Florida, it's critical to understand factors that may affect Florida nursing homes' vulnerability to the COVID-19 pandemic.Using Nursing Home COVID-19 Dataset as of July 26, 2020 obtained through Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and Provider Info Dataset and Health Deficiencies Dataset available through CMS Nursing Home Compare data, we constructed a database of Florida nursing facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, with corresponding facility characteristics and quality deficiencies.We examined the facility characteristics (e.g.facility size, ownership state, chain affiliation, staffing level) and quality deficiencies (e.g.infection control deficiencies) of Florida nursing homes with and without publicly reported COVID-19 cases and deaths.