Following the Voices of Older Adults During the COVID-19 Crisis: Perspectives from the Netherlands

Abstract

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.