Lockdown Life
The Pandemic Experience for Older Diarists
This book documents the everyday experiences of older diarists during the COVID-19 lockdowns, offering insights into the impacts on older citizens. Using Mass Observation methodology, the book includes a modern-day diary exercise and discusses the wider implications of living through this significant event in modern social history.
The COVID-19 pandemic took many by surprise when it arrived in Britain in early 2020. Daily lives changed dramatically with the introduction of unprecedented restrictions and lockdowns. How did people react?
This book draws on the diaries of 68 men and women aged 70 and above, capturing their thoughts and experiences over the following months. Although these older diarists considered themselves among the more fortunate at the time, their entries reveal both highs and lows. There were anxieties and frustrations but also much positivity and, often, a reluctance for an over-hasty return to pre-pandemic times.
Through these personal and contemporaneous accounts, the book offers a unique contribution to our understanding of the pandemic and its significance in modern social history.
Nicola Madge is Honorary Professor at Kingston University London and a psychologist and social scientist. She has written widely on topics including education, social disadvantage, health, young people and religious identity, and the lives of older people.
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