In April 2020, Leyden Academy researchers Miriam Verhage, Lucia Thielman, Lieke de Kock, and Jolanda Lindenberg interviewed 59 Dutch seniors about their experiences during the COVID-19 crisis and their views on the portrayal of senior adults in the national media. What they found out was that not only were elders’ experiences diverse, but that many expressed a desire and ability to contribute to society. In the words of the authors: “Rather than solely focussing on the possible vulnerability of older adults, we should highlight their strength and willingness to contribute to society and acknowledge that solidarity is always a mutual endeavour.”
In the latest edition of the ‘The Age of COVID-19’ series, published simultaneously by The Association for Anthropology and Gerontology, and the Life Course (AAGE) and Somatosphere, the Leyden Academy researchers discuss older people’s views of the pandemic, intergenerational solidarity and self-perceptions of vulnerability among seniors in the Netherlands. You can read the article ‘It takes two to tango’ here.