The psychological state and well-being of older individuals in England have undergone significant transformations since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This revelation comes from a comprehensive study that monitored the experiences of over 3,999 individuals aged 50 and above across 11 years, findings of which were published today in the peer-reviewed journal Aging and Mental Health. Spearheaded by a team from University College London (UCL), this research was supported by the National Institute of Ageing, a consortium of UK government departments coordinated by the National Institute for Health Research and the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council. This project extensively used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) gathered between 2012 and 2023.
The study’s results were enlightening, particularly in the context of psychological well-being, as it charted a significant decline across several metrics in the latter half of 2020. Specific figures showed a 4% decrease in happiness, a 4% reduction in positive well-being, and a 7% drop in life satisfaction. However, a notable recovery was observed in the subsequent years (2021-2023), where metrics such as eudemonic well-being—which gauges the worthwhileness of one’s life—rebounded impressively, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This pattern was similarly reflected in life satisfaction scores.
The types of well-being evaluated in the study include affective well-being (happiness), eudemonic well-being, and evaluative well-being (life satisfaction). However, the situation regarding depression is somewhat more intricate. During the pandemic, depression rates in older adults rose sharply from 11.4% to 27.2%. Although these figures dropped post-pandemic, they remained elevated at 14.9%, suggesting lingering psychological impacts. This sustained increase in depression rates could be attributed to ongoing pressures on the health service, which may have deterred or prevented individuals from seeking necessary psychological support.
Professor Paola Zaninotto, the study’s lead author and a Professor of Medical and Social Statistics at UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, highlighted the profound effects of the pandemic on the well-being of older individuals in England. Despite the initial decline during the pandemic and a rise in depression cases, older adults have exhibited a noteworthy improvement in their overall happiness, life satisfaction, and sense of purpose compared to the pre-pandemic era. Professor Zaninotto suggests that these changes might be linked to a renewed appreciation for social connections, meaningful activities, and increased psychological resilience following adversity. The enhanced health security achieved through widespread vaccinations was also crucial in this positive shift.
The study also underscored significant differences based on age and socioeconomic status, indicating the need for tailored support policies to mitigate pandemics’ immediate and prolonged effects on older adults’ well-being. Notably, individuals in their 50s reported lower levels of positive well-being than older groups before the pandemic—an observation aligns with prior research suggesting that happiness tends to increase with age, particularly into the late 60s and early 70s. The challenges unique to the 50s demographic, such as financial responsibilities, caregiving roles, and work pressures, likely contribute to this trend. During the pandemic, while their happiness levels did not decline significantly, possibly due to already low well-being levels, they experienced more significant increases in depressive symptoms. However, this group also demonstrated considerable recovery post-pandemic, highlighting their resilience or adaptive capabilities.
Conversely, individuals over 75 experienced less improvement in depression and positive well-being post-pandemic, potentially due to more persistent vulnerabilities. This group might have engaged in less social interaction, faced more health limitations, or found it more challenging to adapt psychologically to the prolonged pandemic conditions.
The research also revealed that depression levels were consistently higher among less affluent individuals. However, during the pandemic, the more affluent participants experienced more significant declines in psychological well-being, possibly due to disruptions in their habitual lifestyles, such as travel, socialising, and dining out.
In conclusion, while the study pointed out a partial reduction in depression rates post-pandemic, it emphasised the ongoing need for mental health support, particularly for those most impacted. Professor Zaninotto’s team calls for policies that address both the immediate and long-term effects of the pandemic on mental health, highlighting the critical need for tailored support measures to manage these impacts on the older population comprehensively. The study’s strengths lie in its large, representative sample and robust methodology, which provided a consistent trajectory of well-being changes, reaffirming the interplay between positive psychological well-being, age, and socioeconomic status. However, it also faced limitations, including constraints on assessment protocols during the pandemic, which prevented using multi-item measures, potentially limiting the capture of positive psychology’s full complexity and nuances.
More information: Paola Zaninotto et al, Recovery of psychological wellbeing following the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal analysis of the English longitudinal study of ageing, Aging & Mental Health. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2025.2450260
Journal information: Aging & Mental Health Provided by Taylor & Francis Group
