Older Chinese migrants' emotional health and paired time use schedules during Toronto's extended lockdown

Keywords: older adults; mental health; loneliness; covid; time use
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

A key determinant for social isolation and loneliness is whether an individual lives with a spouse or long-term partner (Chai & Margolis, 2020; Cornwell & Waite, 2009; Klinenberg, 2016). Because loneliness and social isolation are generally more severe in individuals living alone, these populations alone are often studied (Austin et al., 2016; Chai & Margolis, 2020; Fingerman et al., 2020; Klinenberg, 2016). Few studies have used paired household time use schedules to understand the friction between paired time sequences and feelings of loneliness, despite time use approaches being adopted for other studies of loneliness in older adults (McKenna et al., 2007; Steptoe & Fancourt, 2019). During the coronavirus pandemic, household time use dynamics may be especially important as older adults change their daily routines to fit public health guidelines. We employ paired household time use diaries collected from older (60+), Chinese couples during transitioning lockdown conditions in Toronto in 2021. Using an optimal matching and sequential clustering approach, we group participants into time use clusters. We then use these clusters to obtain descriptive information and construct a model detailing how feelings of loneliness vary, and whether this variation is connected to differences in time use patterns and journeys out of the home. These clusters, along with descriptive info and model results, provide insight into how older Chinese couples in the Toronto area spent their time during shifting lockdown conditions, and whether couples with more harmonious time use schedules saw mental and emotional health benefits.