Age Differences in Perceived Preparedness for the Continuation of COVID-19 Pandemic: Important Role of Social Support

This study examined the age differences in perceived preparedness for the continuation of COVID-19 pandemic; and tested the moderating effects of three types of social support, i.e., emotional, financial and instrumental support. Using a sample of 450 adults in Texas, USA from the research project 'Vulnerability and Resilience to Disasters' (October 2020 to January 2021), results of multiple linear regressions showed that compared with people aged over sixty-five, those aged eighteen-forty-four perceived a lower level of preparedness for the ongoing COVID-19 and there was no significant difference in perceived preparedness between individuals aged sixty-five+ and those aged forty-five-sixty-four. Receiving emotional and instrumental support was, respectively, more important for people aged sixty-five+ to perceive a better level of preparedness than for those aged eighteen-forty-four and forty-five-sixty-four. The findings highlighted the unique strengths of older adults in COVID-19 preparedness from the life course perspective and the importance of social support in their disaster preparedness. Based on these findings, social workers could incorporate the wisdom and experience of older adults into disaster management and develop age-specific interventions to promote preventive behaviours during future public health disasters. This study examined how older adults (aged sixty-five+) differed from younger people (aged eighteen-forty-four) and middle-aged adults (aged forty-five-sixty-four) in perceived preparedness for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and tested how emotional, financial and instrumental support affected the above age differences. Results of multiple linear regressions showed that older adults perceived a higher level of preparedness for the ongoing COVID-19 than younger people, and their preparedness level was not significantly different from that of middle-aged adults. Besides, receiving emotional and instrumental support was, respectively, more pronounced for older adults to get prepared than for younger and middle-aged adults. These findings highlighted the strengths of older adults and the importance of social support in COVID-19 preparedness, which provided some important implications for social work services and programmes during the ongoing pandemic and future public health disasters. First, social workers should appreciate the resources and assets that older adults obtain from life experience and actively incorporate their important lessons and wisdom into disaster preparedness and prevention campaigns. Second, the concept of social support can be emphasised in disaster preparedness education and training programmes, especially for older adults.