Facing double jeopardy: Experiences of driving cessation in older adults during COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is a multidimensional phenomenon whose consequences can be detected in various economic, social, cultural, and political areas. Driving cessation in older adults is one of the areas affected by the social consequences of this crisis. This study aimed to explain the concept of facing the double jeopardy of the COVID-19 pandemic and driving cessation in older adults.

This qualitative study was conducted using a thematic analysis approach. Fifteen older adults aged 60 years and above who lived in a community-based setting of Shiraz, Iran were selected based on purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews.

The findings indicated two themes, namely dualization of common challenges and fitness with limitations, and nine sub-themes, which showed the experiences of older adults regarding the main theme of facing the double jeopardy of the COVID-19 pandemic and driving cessation.

Facing the double jeopardy created unique challenges for older adults, as the combined adverse effects of the two sources simultaneously put them at a greater risk. This double jeopardy endangered the health of older adults in various dimensions. This can be the beginning of a new era in older adults' life and care. In this context, application of telecommunication technology and home-based applications increases the flexibility of older adults as well as their ability to cope with stress to meet their mental, social, and physical health needs.