Analysis of Older Adults’ Daily Behavior amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: Cases from Ryugasaki City on the Outskirts of Tokyo

Keywords: older adults, daily behavior, the COVID-19 Pandemic, Tokyo suburbs
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 13

Abstract

This study reveals older adults’ daily behavior amid the COVID-19 pandemic through a case study of residents of Ryugasaki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, on the outskirts of the Tokyo metropolitan area. We conducted vis-à-vis or telephone interview surveys of more than 100 older adults from August to October 2021, a period during which Japan’s national and municipal governments declared a state of emergency. The survey encompassed 48 hours of spaciotemporal behavior of household heads and their spouses; the relationships among family, housing, and welfare over three generations; and basic socioeconomic information on the respondents. Although most of the older adults surveyed were now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, many spent substantial time at home watching television, talking with family members or nearby friends, or doing maintenance on or cleaning of their homes. Many lived apart from their adult children, communicating with them via telephone and mobile social media applications. Only a small number of the surveyed older adults had access to laptop computers; thus, mobile phones were the main way they accessed the internet. In the central commercial districts, as well as rural areas, many of the surveyed older adults had inherited their homes, family graves, and businesses from their parents. There was little possibility of passing these on to their adult children because most of the children purchased their own homes and tended to work in different occupations than their parents did.