Aging and Feeling Valued Versus Expendable During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: a Review and Commentary of Why Mattering Is Fundamental to the Health and Well-Being of Older Adults

Abstract

The current commentary and review examines the potentially protective role of feelings of mattering among elderly people during typical times and the current atypical times associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic. Mattering is the feeling of being important to others in ways that give people the sense that they are valued and other people care about them. We contrast this feeling with messages of not mattering and being expendable and disposable due to ageism, gaps in the provision of care, and apparently economically focused positions taken during the pandemic that disrespect the value, worth, and merits of older persons. We provide a comprehensive review of past research on individual differences in mattering among older adults and illustrate the unique role of mattering in potentially protecting older adults from mental health problems. Mattering is also discussed in terms of its links with loneliness and physical health. This article concludes with a discussion of initiatives and interventions that can be modified and enhanced to instill a sense of mattering among older adults. Key directions for future research are also highlighted along with ways to expand the mattering concept to more fully understand and appreciate the relevance of mattering among older adults.

Personality, Cognition, and Adaptability to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Associations with Loneliness, Distress, and Positive and Negative Mood States

“…This expectation was supported because students in this study reported less loneliness and fewer loneliness-related thoughts if they had higher levels of mattering and without the feeling and fear of not mattering to others. These results are in keeping with broad calls to promote feelings of mattering to help people cope with the isolation and other stressors and strains associated with living through the current global health crisis (see Flett and Heisel 2020;Flett and Zangeneh 2020).…”

“…Self-esteem and mattering were included as another main focus given general evidence of the benefits of self-esteem and mattering in adapting to life challenges (see Flett 2018). A series of analyses have underscored a sense of mattering to others as being vital in helping people adjust to the stress and psychosocial challenges arising out of being physically isolated and feeling socially isolated (see Casale and Flett 2020;Flett and Heisel 2020;Flett and Zangeneh 2020). These analyses-as well as work with the Anti-Mattering Scale (see Flett 2018)-further highlight that just as mattering is protective as a key element of self-worth experiences, marginalization experiences and feelings of not mattering contribute to feelings of stress and distress.…”

COVID-19 and the portrayal of older people in New Zealand news media

“…Media coverage plays an important and direct role in shaping official responses to unfolding crisis situations and often operates to promote greater social control of already structurally disadvantaged groups (Tierney et al 2006). It also helps to convey who matters during crises and who are thus legitimate recipients of community and government support (Flett 2020).…”

Gesundheitliche Folgen sozialer Isolation: Qualitative Studie zu psychosozialen Belastungen und Ressourcen älterer Menschen im Zusammenhang mit der COVID-19-Pandemie

“…B. auch in Form der emotionalen Unterstützung anderer) und die Wichtigkeit des eigenen Lebens für andere wurden von der Zielgruppe nur wenig reflektiert. Ein aktuelles Review zum Konzept der Wichtigkeit beschreibt das Erleben einer Person, für jemand anderen von Bedeutung zu sein, als einen wichtigen protektiven Faktor und als wesentlich für funktionales Coping und Resilienz im Zusammenhang mit der COVID-19-Pandemie [ 21 ].…”