{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T09:08:56Z","timestamp":1788944936580,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749427200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]],"date-time":"2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749427200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100010409","name":"Nationaal Regieorgaan Praktijkgericht Onderzoek SIA","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["SIA.COV.01.001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SIA.COV.01.001"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100010409","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Qual Health Res"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Sudden disruptions to the social environment of older adults living alone, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can challenge their ability to maintain well-being. This study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how Dutch older adults (\u226565\u00a0years) living alone maintained their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between June and October 2021, we conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with older adults living alone in the Netherlands. Participants were recruited through online newsletters and home care and social work institutions. We identified three key themes. The theme \u201cFilling the void of being alone\u201d captures participants\u2019 ongoing search for a sense of connection, and the challenges they faced related to social exclusion. The theme \u201cNavigating challenging situations to maintain well-being\u201d illustrates participants\u2019 struggle with disrupted daily routines and how they tried to regain a sense of control to stay well. Lastly, the theme \u201cReverberating echoes of the past\u201d conveys how participants\u2019 life histories shaped their responses to the pandemic and the role of acceptance in this process. Overall, our results highlight great individual variability in how older adults living alone maintained their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. This underscores the need for interventions and support strategies that accommodate the unique needs of older adults living alone when opportunities for social engagement are limited.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/10497323251345333","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]],"date-time":"2025-06-25T02:51:39Z","timestamp":1750819899000},"page":"1345-1358","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Maintaining Well-Being in Times of Limited Social Contacts: Experiences of Community-Dwelling Older Adults Living Alone During the COVID-19 Pandemic"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"36","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-6055-2331","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Djoeke","family":"Besselink","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"FAITH research"},{"name":"GGD Groningen"},{"name":"University Medical Center Groningen"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Feija D.","family":"Schaap","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FAITH research"},{"name":"NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Harri\u00ebt","family":"Jager-Wittenaar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"FAITH research"},{"name":"Vrije Universiteit Brussel"},{"name":"Radboud university medical center"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9443-8211","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sven J.","family":"Geelen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"Martini Hospital"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martine J.","family":"Sealy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"FAITH research"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Evelyn J.","family":"Finnema","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"FAITH research"},{"name":"University Medical Center Groningen"},{"name":"NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fons","family":"van der Lucht","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hanze University of Applied Sciences"},{"name":"National Institute of Public Health and the Environment"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_5_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(15)00516-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/eurpub\/ckae130"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/09638288.2014.887795"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2015.302582"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-015-0027-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-84127-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0144686X22000435"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gby119"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbz045"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aggp.2024.100107"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare11020222"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbaa200"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wss.2024.100184"},{"key":"e_1_3_5_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11469-020-00339-4"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_3_5_16_1","first-page":"43","article-title":"How does living alone or with a partner influence life satisfaction among older men and women in Europe?","volume":"67","author":"Gaymu J.","year":"2012","unstructured":"Gaymu J., Springer S., Stringer L. 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