Theme 2: Perceived impact of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing
Furthermore, an increase in depression and anxiety levels was reported. Due to face-to-face classes being cancelled, providing remotely delivered classes using different digital platforms could ensure that people continue to maintain physical activities and social engagement within their homes:
‘Pre lockdown I did not feel isolated from others, but post lockdown yes, I have become very lonely albeit I have a lot of people around me. I have always been anxious, and I have managed it, and I do mindfulness and relaxation, but I think what with the lockdown it caused a different level of anxiety’, PM201, Female, 66.
‘We have both got really depressed...,’ PM202, Female, 63.
This was not the case, however, for all participants as some did not report or perceive an impact on their mental wellbeing, whilst others expressed that they did not mind solitary time, therefore did not perceive COVID-19 to have a negative impact on their social wellbeing:
‘No anxiety or depression’, PM204, Female, 81.
‘Before I played tennis at school and I got involved in theatre, I have always had an active life outside of work. …I’m always out of the house to do something and on the other hand being an only child I don’t mind my own company for long periods of time either,’ PM101, Female, 86.
The restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 lockdown were reported to have resulted in a loss of social networks, and specifically loss of hobbies. Participants reported feeling cut off from the things they used to enjoy doing:
‘The thing I’ve missed most during this lockdown is not being able to go out for a dog walk. I’ve got 2 yellow Labradors …but you know, even to go for a drive, walk the dogs and go somewhere for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. I can’t do that either, PM306, Female, 74.
Whilst others had established identities within various social groups before the pandemic, they recognised the impact that COVID-19 had on their social networks reporting that:
‘I belong to a group choir, and very involved in the church things, but of course all that had to stop [due to COVID-19] but they are still on the phone, I don’t feel lonely.…I miss the human company...’, PM109, Female, 74.
A different participant reported:
‘I used to go to a German speaking class and let’s set and before that I was going down to the language centre for learning what we call Golden Oldies German and Wednesday night it’s choir night. And I’m singing with [named choir], which I’ve been doing since 2012, which is quite the passion of mine. And then I’ve been going to moving mindfully on a Tuesday at the [named location] …I belong to a book club but of course the library is closed so we haven’t been able to change books but the lady rings round making sure everyone is ok’, PM107, Female, 85.
Although participants recognised that they liked their own company, they missed interacting with other people. A different participant mentioned that the idea of being restricted or told by someone else that they must adhere to the guidelines was what they found unfavourable:
‘…my husband died four years ago, I am used to living on my own, I am quite happy living on my own but now that it is restricted by other people, it’s different. I miss the human company…’, PM109, Female, 75.
‘it’s horrible because you’re having to think all the time, I can’t do this and I can’t do that’, PM102, Female, 76.
A male participant viewed the lockdown as a fearful time that increased his health anxieties as he had a long-term condition and had been classed as high risk, stating:
‘...yes, I am fearful, I haven’t been out apart from locally and I wouldn’t want to go to the shop because I have diabetes and particularly at my age it is very risk’, PM103, Male, 85.
Whilst recognising the limitations and risks imposed by COVID-19, he however also expressed that he took the restrictions as an opportunity to catch up with some life administration tasks that were overdue, thereby showing that restrictions were not only negative, but there were also some benefits to the restrictions:
‘I’m self-isolating, so I’m here on my own all the time so I am always at home unless I go out for a walk…. I have been tidying up bit of paperwork I should have done before, bills, a little bit of reading…’ PM103, Male, 85.
Theme 3: Experience of digital technologies: Using digital platforms for health or exercise
Experience of using digital technologies varied between using technology for health purposes and technology for social purposes. This theme includes two subthemes, splitting experience between using technology for health purposes and technology for social purposes. One participant showed an awareness, understanding and acceptance of using digital technologies as she stated she would have continued with her fitness instructor if they were offering an intervention over Zoom:
‘I would have liked to stay with the trainer I had before lockdown, but she is not doing anything on zoom,’ PM201, Female, 66.
She also mentioned awareness of mHealth technologies such as a Fitbit, to use for monitoring her physical activity:
‘I go up and down the stairs a great deal, I should get a Fitbit to monitor,’ PM201, Female, 66.
Furthermore, this participant also stated she used technology to order her medication prescriptions, highlighting an awareness and affinity to using different digital technologies:
‘…I do online patient access for prescriptions’, PM201, Female, 66.
This broad awareness of the different digital technologies and their uses was however not reflective of everyone’s experience as others stated they had very limited experience with using digital technologies to achieve health outcomes:
‘…nothing before [referring to online PA classes], I have done some DVD dance exercises in the past’, PM101, Female, 86
Theme 4: Experience of digital technologies: Using digital platforms for social contact
Unlike using digital technologies for health purposes, experience of using these for social contact was more common amongst the participants. PM210, Female, 65 revealed that she uses Zoom for church and family meetings:
‘...I'm on church committee, parish church council and Deanery Synod. So, all those meetings take place on zoom’. PM210, Female, 65
Although she uses Zoom, she reported that she was not a big fan of the platform:
‘…I don't like Zoom and my husband's family have a zoom meeting once a week and my sister who is still alive, is in Canada, so I talk to her on Facebook or on WhatsApp as well’, PM210, Female, 65
During the pandemic, all social contact was suspended and so it can be deduced that she used these digital platforms because there were no other options, similarly as the case with her sister who lives in a different country, digital platforms were the most convenient means of staying in contact. This idea of keeping up with digital technologies use out of necessity was also expressed by another participant:
‘No, I've only got into zoom and FaceTime since it's locked down’ PM306, Female, 74.
Another participant reported that they used YouTube and zoom to maintain social contact with her social networks:
‘…we have choir practice on YouTube and our book group meets on zoom and my choir group every Sunday on zoom, so I am in touch with all these people’. PM110, Female, 75.