L’esperienza degli anziani autosufficienti durante il primo lockdown : Uno studio qualitativo con soggetti residenti in tre diverse Regioni italiane

In this descriptive qualitative study, we explore the experience of the first lockdown in some older adults living in three Italian regions (Lombardy, Piedmont, and Puglia), which were differently affected by the pandemic. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with the content analysis. The interviewees, self-sufficient and with MMSE≥26, are on average 75,5 years old, are mainly women (14/18), have a middle/high school education, and live with their spouse/partner (9/18) or with other family members (5/18). They report a painful experience of the pandemic, in which they felt alone, were afraid and missed their beloved ones. At the same time, older adults expressed positive emotions and demonstrated resilient behaviours, such as cultivating their hobbies, maintaining long-distance relationships, doing movement at home, and learning to use technologies, mainly in the North. The interviewees seem to have committed themselves to preserve their life projects, despite and beyond the pandemic.