Older people have greater general happiness, life satisfaction and sense of purpose than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic.
That's according to a new study which tracked 3,999 over 50s in England for 11 years, published today in the peer-reviewed journal, Aging and Mental Health.
Analysing data to understand positive psychological well-being and depression within this group, an expert team from UCL (University College London), funded by the National Institute of Ageing, a consortium of UK government departments coordinated by the National Institute for Health Research, and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council, drew on data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) between 2012 to 2023.
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%. However, 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 three types of positive well-being they analysed were: affective well-being (happiness), eudemonic well-being, and evaluative well-being (life satisfaction).
The picture with depression is a little more complex, however. Overall, rates of depression in older people rose from 11.4% before Covid to 27.2% during the pandemic. Afterwards, they remained slightly elevated at 14.9%. The authors hypothesize that this ongoing raised level might result from the pressure faced by the health service, with people unable to, or choosing not to, seek help.
Lead author Paola Zaninotto is a Professor of Medical and Social Statistics at UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. With over two decades of experience conducting research in public health, she specializes in medical and social statistics and carries out a role as Deputy Director of the ELSA.
Commenting on the team's findings, Professor Zaninotto says: "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.
"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."
People in their 50s
Before the pandemic began, people in their 50s reported poorer positive well-being than older groups. This finding is supported by previous research which has shown that people in their late 60s and early 70s are happier than those in their 50s. This finding may reflect unique challenges faced by people in their 50s, including midlife stressors such as financial responsibilities, caregiving roles, and work pressures.
During the pandemic, the researchers found that people in their 50s did not become significantly more unhappy, and suggest this may be because their positive well-being levels were already low. Increases in depressive symptoms were larger in this group, although they also showed greater recovery after the pandemic, suggesting a good degree of resilience or an ability to adapt.
People over 75
In people aged over 75, the team observed smaller improvements in depression and positive well-being than others after the pandemic. This could stem from persistent vulnerabilities as they may have socialized less, had more health limitations, or have been slower to adapt, psychologically. It could also be that their mental well-being was impacted by the long-lasting nature of the pandemic and the fact Covid was risker for them.
Affluent people
At all times, levels of depression were higher in the least affluent group. But perhaps counter-intuitively, the psychological well-being of wealthier participants fell more than that of the poorer cohort during the pandemic itself; they showed larger decreases in happiness, eudemonic well-being and life satisfaction. The authors suggest that it's possible that they experienced relatively greater disruption to their lives, as they could not continue their perhaps more habitual traveling, socialising or dining out.
Depression and recommendations
The overall reduction in the prevalence of depression after the pandemic ended was only partial, suggesting, the authors state, "a need for continued mental health support, particularly for those who were most affected".
"Our results reinforce the need for policies that address both the immediate and lingering effects of the pandemic on mental health," adds Professor Zaninotto.
"Furthermore the findings demonstrate the importance of tailored support policies to address these impacts on mental health of our older population at large, over and above the serious effects of long Covid."
Limitations
Strengths of this study include its large, representative sample and a methodology which offered a more consistent trajectory of tracking well-being changes to reaffirm the interplay between positive psychological well-being, age, and socioeconomic status.
Furthermore, the study included both in-person, internet and telephone interviews.
However, limitations of the study include the measurement of positive psychological well-being. "Constraints on assessment protocols during the pandemic prevented the use of multi-item measures," explain the authors, who instead used a measure that "may not capture the full complexity and nuance of positive psychology".
