We are currently recruiting participants! More Info
Our aim is to capture diverse perspectives of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic
Who?
To participate in this study you must:
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Be 65 years old or older
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Currently live in any type of neighborhood accommodation in Ireland, including private homes, sheltered living, group schemes, assisted living, etc.
How?
Activities
There are 3 ways to get involved.
You can choose to take part in all activities, or just one or two.
Written submission & Images
[Electronic or Traditional Post]
Write to us about how the pandemic is affecting your life. If you wish, we can provide a couple of prompts to get you started (see here & here). You can say as little or as much as you like. Also, you can choose to attach pictures, artwork or recordings to your submission.
*Once completed, you can return your COVID-19 diary on the post or electronically. More details here.
Want to receive a COVID-19 diary at home? Go here.
General interview
'Go-along' Interview + Mapping exercise
[Phone or Videoconferencing or Face-to-Face]
Have a conversation with a researcher about your experiences during the pandemic, including things that may have caused you stress or brought some joy.
This activity lasts for around 45 min- 1hr. Interviews will take place at a time and location that suits you, either over the phone, on a videoconferencing app (like Zoom) or face-to-face (if public health recommendations allow this and it's safe for everyone involved).
[Electronic or Face-to-Face]
It is important for us to understand how factors in the natural and built environment have influenced your experience of the pandemic. This may include spaces around your house (porch, garden, etc) or in your community (parks, roads, shops, etc).
This activity involves sharing with our research team what places are important for you and what may have changed during the implementation of public health restrictions.
In the 'go-along' a member of the research team will [physically or virtually] accompany you in a visit to at least one of these places. The duration of this activity will depend on your preferences. People with diverse types of mobility are invited to take part. For face-to-face interviews, you will be able to choose the location, route, speed & duration of the activity. This can include some time to rest in between. We can also do this activity in Zoom utilizing an online map.
Research files
The WISE study is supported by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the National University of Ireland Maynooth, the Structured Population and Health-services Research Education Programme (SPHeRE), and the Health Research Board under the SPHeRE-2019-1 grant
