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Updated: Oct 3, 2025

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
The impact of COVID-19 on older adults: Results from an annual survey
Rachel Ungar1, Lizi Wu1, Stephanie MacLeod1
1Research for Aging Populations, OptumLabs, 315 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 305, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, United States.
Objectives:
Assess well-being among older adults through secondary analysis measured during an annual survey in 2018, 2019, and 2020, to determine trends from before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods:
Mailed surveys sent annually included measures related to various psychosocial factors.
Main Findings:
Response rates were 29% in 2018, 25% in 2019, and 24% in 2020. Most respondents reported average or high resilience (89% 2018-2020), high purpose (64% in 2018 and 2019, 63% in 2020), moderate optimism (46% in 2019, 44% in 2020) and low stress (88% in 2019 and 2020). Reported loneliness increased 13% from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, only 45% reported high comfort with technology, decreasing with age (>75).
Principal Conclusion:
Psychosocial well-being of respondents were doing well despite changes related to COVID-19. However, increased loneliness may negatively impact long-term health outcomes; thus, a focus on technology options to stay socially connected and access healthcare are needed.
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