{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:19:57Z","timestamp":1760059197481,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759968000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated public health measures significantly disrupted the lives of older adults. Few studies have captured the firsthand experiences of this population during such unprecedented times, emphasizing the need for qualitative insights into their lived realities. This study aimed to explore the social and emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults, focusing on personal experience, coping mechanisms, and adaptive responses to changes.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing snowball sampling to recruit participants aged 60 years and above. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect in-depth narratives about participants\u2019 experiences post-pandemic, between May 2023- March 2024. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and meaningful themes.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A total of 19 participants (aged 60\u201381 years, 10 women) were interviewed. Four themes emerged from the study: 1) emotional and psychological symptoms linked to infection control; 2) feeling of loss from restrictions; 3) coping strategies in adversity; 4) information and communication. Participants relied on their resilience and life experiences to navigate fear and uncertainty during the pandemic.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The identified themes reflect a collective experience of fear, loss, adaptation and resilience. Support systems and adaptability demonstrated by individuals underscored the capacity to cope with and overcome adversity. A good social security system post-retirement is hard to achieve in low and middle income countries. Future research should utilize fundings to focus on providing targeted support to older adults and other LMICs to develop mitigation strategies to prevent negative psychological, physical and financial effects in major disasters.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0332610","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:42:33Z","timestamp":1760031753000},"page":"e0332610","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Exploring the social and emotional impact of COVID-19 on older residents of the Greater Klang Valley, Malaysia: A qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Mirchandani","family":"Shobha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6193-1747","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Karen","family":"Morgan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3400-8540","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Maw Pin","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0332610.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(23)00113-X","article-title":"Mental health in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review","volume":"10","author":"N Ahmed","year":"2023","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijsu.2020.04.018","article-title":"The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): A review","volume":"78","author":"M Nicola","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Surg"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref003","article-title":"The pandemic changes daily life and ways of living: technosociality and user\/families experiences","author":"do Nascimento LC","year":"2023","journal-title":"Rev Bras Enferm"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332610.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"580","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-023-04282-6","article-title":"Older adults\u2019 experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative systematic literature review","volume":"23","author":"E Derrer-Merk","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Geriatr"},{"issue":"20","key":"pone.0332610.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13115","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph192013115","article-title":"Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on the Activity and Mental Health of Older People in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study","volume":"19","author":"NK Fauk","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0332610.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"911","DOI":"10.1080\/13607863.2021.1891198","article-title":"Perceptions, feelings, and the routine of older adults during the isolation period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in four countries","volume":"26","author":"AR Gon\u00e7alves","year":"2022","journal-title":"Aging Ment Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0332610.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"020333","DOI":"10.7189\/jogh.10.020333","article-title":"COVID-19 in Malaysia: crucial measures in critical times","volume":"10","author":"K Ganasegeran","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Glob Health"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"624394","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2021.624394","article-title":"Do Living Arrangements and Social Network Influence the Mental Health Status of Older Adults in Malaysia?","volume":"9","author":"TA Hamid","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"16","key":"pone.0332610.ref009","article-title":"Culture and Communication Styles: Collectivism vs Individualism Cultural Orientations from Malaysian Perspectives","volume":"13","author":"SF Azmi","year":"2023","journal-title":"IJARBSS"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332610.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1080\/07317115.2021.1910394","article-title":"COVID-19 Public Health Restrictions and Older Adults\u2019 Well-being in Uganda: Psychological Impacts and Coping Mechanisms","volume":"45","author":"C Giebel","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin Gerontol"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"863323","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.863323","article-title":"Eighteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in Southeast Asia and the associated demographic factors","volume":"10","author":"WWY Tay","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref012","volume-title":"Foundation of social research: Meaning and perspectiven in the research process","author":"M Crotty","year":"1998","edition":"simple"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref013","volume-title":"Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches","author":"JW Creswell","year":"2013"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0332610.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"354","DOI":"10.4235\/agmr.22.0134","article-title":"Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Status and Quality of Life among Participants of the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) Study","volume":"26","author":"K Aravindhan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann Geriatr Med Res"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0332610.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1159\/000517946","article-title":"Development of Virtual Surveys for the COVID-19 Wave of the AGELESS Longitudinal Study in Malaysia","volume":"68","author":"K Aravindhan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Gerontology"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7525-9-8","article-title":"A methodological review of resilience measurement scales","volume":"9","author":"G Windle","year":"2011","journal-title":"Health Qual Life Outcomes"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4614-0586-3","volume-title":"The Social Ecology of Resilience, A Handbook of Theory and Practice","author":"M Ungar","year":"2012"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0332610.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"839","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.46.4.839","article-title":"Personal control and stress and coping processes: a theoretical analysis","volume":"46","author":"S Folkman","year":"1984","journal-title":"J Pers Soc Psychol"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref019","unstructured":"Lumivero B. Germany, ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH. ATLAS.TI Mac (version 23.2.10 [Qualitative data analysis software]. 2023."},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332610.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1177\/10778012231207039","article-title":"Using the Colaizzi Method to Explore Intimate Partner Violence Caseworkers\u2019 Subjective Experience: Pathways to Intimate Partner Violence Work and What Keeps Them Going","volume":"30","author":"M Allman","year":"2024","journal-title":"Violence Against Women"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0332610.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1089\/cyber.2020.29180.bkw","article-title":"Using Social Media to Our Advantage: Alleviating Anxiety During a Pandemic","volume":"23","author":"BK Wiederhold","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0332610.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1093\/jtm\/taaa031","article-title":"The pandemic of social media panic travels faster than the COVID-19 outbreak","volume":"27","author":"A Depoux","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Travel Med"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref023","unstructured":"Ahmad N. Natural disaster and vulnerable victims in Malaysia: A preliminary study. 2022."},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0332610.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0252101","article-title":"Lived experiences of older adults during the first COVID-19 lockdown: A qualitative study","volume":"16","author":"I Falvo","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"643807","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2021.643807","article-title":"Coping During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Older Adults Across the United States","volume":"9","author":"JM Finlay","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0332610.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"505","DOI":"10.1017\/S1041610220004135","article-title":"Loneliness, physical activity, and mental health during COVID-19: a longitudinal analysis of depression and anxiety in adults over the age of 50 between 2015 and 2020","volume":"33","author":"B Creese","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0332610.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"358","DOI":"10.1093\/inthealth\/ihaa081","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and emotional reactions in Israel: a mixed-methods study","volume":"13","author":"I Levkovich","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332610.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1007\/s10902-006-9019-0","article-title":"Know Thyself and Become What You Are: A Eudaimonic Approach to Psychological Well-Being","volume":"9","author":"CD Ryff","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Happiness Stud"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0332610.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.2307\/2787065","article-title":"Social Well-Being","volume":"61","author":"MK Corey Lee","year":"1998","journal-title":"Social Psychology Quarterly"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0332610.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1037\/0882-7974.7.3.331","article-title":"Social and emotional patterns in adulthood: support for socioemotional selectivity theory","volume":"7","author":"LL Carstensen","year":"1992","journal-title":"Psychol Aging"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1158716","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1158716","article-title":"COVID-19 experiences of social isolation and loneliness among older adults in Africa: a scoping review","volume":"11","author":"IA Adedeji","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0332610.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4805","DOI":"10.1111\/jan.14978","article-title":"The Experiences of Community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Wuhan: A qualitative study","volume":"77","author":"Q Yang","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0332610.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1017\/S1041610222001107","article-title":"Changes in social lives and loneliness during COVID-19 among older adults: a closer look at the sociodemographic differences","volume":"35","author":"EY Choi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2469","DOI":"10.2147\/PRBM.S415832","article-title":"Information Cocoons on Short Video Platforms and Its Influence on Depression Among the Elderly: A Moderated Mediation Model.","volume":"16","author":"Y He","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychol Res Behav Manag"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332610.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-021-02367-8","article-title":"A qualitative study about the mental health and wellbeing of older adults in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"21","author":"AR McKinlay","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Geriatr"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332610.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1080\/10810730590904571","article-title":"Crisis and emergency risk communication as an integrative model","volume":"10","author":"B Reynolds","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Health Commun"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0332610.ref037","article-title":"Loneliness, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder among Chinese adults during COVID-19: A cross-sectional online survey","volume":"16","author":"Z Xu","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref038","article-title":"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Financial Well-being among Older Adults in Malaysia","volume":"10","author":"MA Khan","year":"2021","journal-title":"International Journal of Management, Economics and Social Sciences"},{"key":"pone.0332610.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1861","DOI":"10.47772\/IJRISS.2024.804224","article-title":"Determinants of Special EPF Withdrawals among Malaysian Employees Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic","author":"C Jiton","year":"2024","journal-title":"IJRISS"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0332610.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.54099\/ijlpg.v1i2.440","article-title":"Analysis Towards the Factor of Inadequacy Retirement Fund Among EPF Members","volume":"1","author":"A Alias","year":"2022","journal-title":"IJLPG"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0332610.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2468-2667(20)30061-X","article-title":"COVID-19 and the consequences of isolating the elderly","volume":"5","author":"R Armitage","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Public Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0332610.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"938","DOI":"10.1007\/s12603-020-1500-7","article-title":"Impact of Social Isolation Due to COVID-19 on Health in Older People: Mental and Physical Effects and Recommendations","volume":"24","author":"W Sep\u00falveda-Loyola","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Nutr Health Aging"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0332610.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1930","DOI":"10.1080\/13607863.2020.1768214","article-title":"A factorial randomized controlled trial to examine separate and combined effects of a simulation-based empathy enhancement program and a lecture-based education program on family caregivers of people with dementia","volume":"25","author":"A Han","year":"2021","journal-title":"Aging Ment Health"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0332610","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:42:41Z","timestamp":1760031761000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0332610"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Sogo France","family":"Matlala","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0332610","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]]}}}