Objectives Globally, mitigation measures during COVID-19 pandemic have focused on protecting older adults. Earlier disaster studies have shown the importance of including older peoples’ voices to prevent secondary stressors, yet these voices have received little attention during this pandemic. Here, we explore how Dutch older adults view this crisis and cope with measures to contribute to our understanding of coping of older adults in general and during disaster situations more specifically. Methods Qualitative study using semi-structured telephone interviews with 59 diverse older adults aged 54 to 95 throughout the Netherlands. Results Older adults typify this crisis as ungraspable, disrupting their daily and social lives. Despite filling their lives with activities, they experience loss or lack of purpose. They try to follow measures to decrease infection risk and gain control, and use problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies. Emotion-focused strategies used were interpreting their personal vulnerability, self-enhancing comparisons, acceptance, and distraction. In the latter two strategies, the temporary nature of measures was emphasized. Discussion Older adults describe this crisis consistently with earlier findings from disaster studies. They use known coping strategies, but emphasize the duration in relation to their expectation of temporality. This underscores a dynamic, processual approach towards coping that incorporates temporal dimensions such as duration and order. Our findings stress the importance of acknowledging heterogeneity among older adults and adjusting communication about mitigation measures to decrease insecurity and increase resonance. This may make COVID-19 mitigation measures more manageable and age-responsible and allow older adults to start living again.

An emerging body of research indicates that active arts engagement can enhance older adults’ health and experienced well-being, but scientific evidence is still fragmented. There is a research gap in understanding arts engagement grounded in a multidimensional conceptualization of the value of health and well-being from older participants’ perspectives. This Dutch nation-wide study aimed to explore the broader value of arts engagement on older people’s perceived health and well-being in 18 participatory arts-based projects (dance, music, singing, theater, visual arts, video, and spoken word) for community-dwelling older adults and those living in long term care facilities. In this study, we followed a participatory design with narrative- and arts-based inquiry. We gathered micro-narratives from older people and their (in)formal caregivers (n = 470). The findings demonstrate that arts engagement, according to participants, resulted in (1) positive feelings, (2) personal and artistic growth, and (3) increased meaningful social interactions. This study concludes that art-based practices promote older people’s experienced well-being and increase the quality of life of older people. This study emphasizes the intrinsic value of arts engagement and has implications for research and evaluation of arts engagement.

Background A growing body of evidence suggests the positive impact of arts on health and wellbeing. The mechanisms underlying the impact however, remain overlooked. Methods 38 Semi-structured interviews were held with 30 older adults and 10 artists, involved in five participatory art projects in the Netherlands. Case-based framework and cross-over analyses were done on the basis of Cousins et al.’s taxonomy. Results Participatory art initiatives contributed to the wellbeing of older adults in a complex interplay with the artist, art form, group of participants, material aspects and continuity of activities. A welcoming environment appeared a consistent underlying mechanism for participants to grow on a personal and artistic level, connect with others and feel supported in their psychosocial wellbeing. Conclusion This article demonstrates the important social function participatory art can have for older adults, and argues for the importance of a thorough consideration of the context wherein underlying mechanisms and outcomes emerge.

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This article provides an example of experiential learning and includes a video with music and sound to demonstrate collective and individual responses to Covid-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasises the importance of care for our societies, yet underscores the inferiority of relational caring practices. During this time, we studied the participatory work of artists working with older adults using participant observations, in-depth interviews and visual ethnography. In this article, we present a case study of one arts initiative, a theatre company engaging seniors in the Netherlands, using ethics and aesthetics of care as sensitising concepts. The findings reveal that this work can promote relational forms of care. This study makes visible how different forms of care can be identified in a participatory art project.

This chapter discusses ageism and experiences of older adults in the Netherlands. It seeks to empower, elevate, and amplify the voices and experiences of older adults through the production of the website wijencorona.nl, which collected their stories during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also reviews the 'intelligent' lockdown by the Dutch government, which is an approach to managing the pandemic that appealed to solidarity and self-discipline in order to comply with social distancing and staying at home. The chapter delves into the views of individuals aged 50 years and older that experienced COVID-19 in an urban or rural context. It uses the stories to discover opportunities for rural and urban futures.

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