Investigating the effectiveness of online interactive courses on loneliness and quality of life of older adults in the community during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A pilot study and a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Geriatrics & gerontology international Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 91 - 97
• Main Authors: Yang, Shang‐Yu, Yang, Cheng‐Chia, Lee, Ya‐Chen, Hsieh, Pei‐Lun, Lin, Ying‐Lien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto, Japan John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.02.2023; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Clinical trials; COVID-19; Humans; Loneliness; Loneliness - psychology; older adults; Older people; online interactive courses; Pandemics; Pilot Projects; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Single-Blind Method; older adults; loneliness; quality of life; online interactive courses
• ISSN: 1444-1586; 1447-0594
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.14526

Background The early stage of the COVID‐19 pandemic was a critical time for increasing loneliness, especially for older people. However, there is insufficient existing research on associated interventions and their effectiveness. Aim This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an 8‐week online interactive course on the loneliness, depression, social support, and quality of life (QOL) of older adults in the community during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods A single‐blind randomized controlled trial was conducted to collect data from a community in Taiwan. Eighty‐nine participants recruited from long‐term care institutions were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 44) and a control group (n = 45). Participants in the experimental group received an 8‐week (Monday to Friday) intensive online interactive course, whereas those in the control group watched 8 weeks (Monday to Friday) of unidirectional online video programs. Results Significant differences were observed in the UCLA Loneliness Scale and in both the psychological health and social relationship domains of the WHO Quality of Life‐BREF Scale. In other words, compared with those in the control group, participants in the experimental group experienced more significant improvements in the state of their loneliness as well as QOL in the psychological health and social relationship domains (without the physical health/environment domains) after taking the online interactive course. Conclusions The results of this study showed that the 8‐week online interactive course could effectively improve the loneliness, the psychological health domain, and the social relationship domain of the QOL of the older adults of a particular community during the ongoing pandemic. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 91–97. •Bidirectional interactive activities have a better efficacy in reducing loneliness and improving quality of life. •Online social support may help to alleviate loneliness and isolation, making it an appropriate solution in this ongoing pandemic situation. •The 8‐week intensive online interactive course successfully improved loneliness and improved quality of life during the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic.