Holding On and Reaching Out: What COVID-19 Taught Older Malaysians About Connection and Control

When Everyday Routines Turned Risky for Older Adults in the Klang Valley

When the pandemic hit, everyday routines—buying vegetables at the wet market, morning tai chi at the park, Friday prayers, weekend visits from grandkids—suddenly felt risky. For older adults in Malaysia’s Greater Klang Valley, these changes weren’t just inconvenient; they reshaped how people felt, coped, and connected. The research paper Exploring the social and emotional impact of COVID-19 on older residents of the Greater Klang Valley, Malaysia: A qualitative study gives voice to these experiences through in-depth interviews with 19 adults aged 60 to 81. By listening closely, the study reveals what was lost, what was learned, and what must be built before the next crisis.

Why does this matter? Older adults faced the highest medical risks, yet their day-to-day psychological realities are often treated as an afterthought. This qualitative work centers those realities. The authors used semi-structured interviews—guided conversations that allowed participants to tell rich, detailed stories—conducted between May 2023 and March 2024. Through thematic analysis, they identified four interlocking threads: the emotional toll of infection control, the ache of social loss, the coping strategies people used to adapt, and the role of information and communication. The result is a grounded picture of fear, grief, resilience, and community. For anyone involved in mental health, public health, or aging, the lessons are both sobering and hopeful.

From Fear of Infection to Fear of Isolation: What Older Adults Described

First, participants spoke about the emotional strain tied to protective measures. Constant mask-wearing, scanning QR codes, and keeping distance weren’t just rules; they became a source of anxiety. One person described avoiding lifts in high-rise buildings to dodge close contact, even if it meant waiting much longer. Another said hands felt “raw” from sanitizers. These small frictions amplified worries and left some people hypervigilant, scanning every cough in a grocery aisle. The underlying feeling was a loss of control—a psychological trigger for anxiety at any age, but especially powerful when health is a daily concern.

Second, many felt the weight of loss from restrictions. Social rituals that structure older adults’ weeks—breakfast at the kopitiam, group walks at the park, religious services—vanished. A grandmother who used to look after grandchildren after school now saw them on a screen. Funerals were missed or attended online; celebrations happened without hugging. This wasn’t just about loneliness. It was about losing sources of meaning and identity: the joy of being a grandparent, a volunteer, a neighbor who checks in.

Third, people did not stop at loss; they adapted. The study captures a toolbox of coping strategies: setting daily routines, exercising at home, praying or meditating, gardening, and cooking new recipes. Some joined neighborhood WhatsApp groups to trade tips, food, or encouragement. Others drew on life experience—past hardships taught them how to “wait out” fear. This flexible, everyday resilience helped counter uncertainty.

Finally, information and communication were a double-edged sword. Participants relied on TV briefings, doctors, and community leaders, but also faced a flood of WhatsApp forwards and hearsay. Some mastered video calls and felt more connected; others struggled with apps and passwords, exposing a persistent digital divide. Clear, trusted information eased anxiety. Confusing or conflicting messages did the opposite.

Why Control, Connection, and Clear Signals Matter in Later Life

Psychologically, the findings align with what we know about stress and aging. When people feel their autonomy is threatened—by a virus, by rules, or by technology they can’t navigate—anxiety rises. Restoring small pockets of control (a predictable routine, a safe walk at a quiet time, a fixed schedule for calls with family) stabilizes emotions. That’s classic stress-and-coping theory in action: appraising a threat, then using problem-solving or emotion-focused tools to manage it.

The study also fits with socioemotional selectivity theory, which suggests that older adults prioritize meaningful relationships and emotional well-being. The grief here wasn’t just “I’m alone.” It was “I’m cut off from what makes life worth living”—the weekly banter at the market, the sense of belonging in religious spaces, the warm chaos of multigenerational homes. These are the “small” losses that carry big psychological weight.

Globally, research during COVID-19 often showed that older adults, despite higher medical risk, reported steadier emotions than younger groups—possibly due to experience and emotion regulation skills. The Klang Valley narratives echo that: many participants adapted, drawing on faith, habits, and community ties. Yet the study highlights barriers specific to a rapidly urbanizing, middle-income setting. Digital public services expanded fast, but not everyone could keep up. That digital divide isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a mental health issue when essential information, appointments, and social contact move online.

Risk communication theory also applies. When messages were consistent and came from trusted sources (doctors, local leaders), anxiety eased. When messages conflicted or arrived as rumor, uncertainty flourished. Uncertainty, in turn, fuels hypervigilance and withdrawal. Importantly, the role of religious and community organizations stood out. In many Malaysian communities, these are anchors of meaning and mutual aid. Their temporary closure removed not only social support but also frameworks for making sense of crisis.

Taken together, the study suggests that psychologically supporting older adults in crises means shoring up three pillars: reinforce a sense of control, protect meaningful connections, and ensure clear, credible information flows through channels people actually use.

Turning Lessons into Action: Steps Families, Communities, and Services Can Take

For mental health and primary care: Build short, routine check-ins for older adults that screen for anxiety, sleep problems, and subtle grief over lost roles. Offer brief, practical supports—breathing skills, paced exposure for lingering fear of public spaces, and help rebuilding pleasurable routines. A two-session “reconnect plan” (safe walking routes, a weekly social activity, a call schedule) can restore confidence.

For community and religious leaders: Organize “phone circles” or small WhatsApp groups where trained volunteers share verified updates and notice who has gone quiet. Host low-pressure meetups—open-air, shorter duration—to reintroduce social contact. Use sermons and community announcements to normalize help-seeking and to counter misinformation gently.

For public health communication: Deliver messages in simple, translated formats via TV, radio, community centers, and places of worship—not just apps. Name a trusted local spokesperson. Repeat core guidance consistently, and clearly flag what has changed. Provide call-in numbers for those who struggle online.

For digital inclusion: Run hands-on “teach-back” sessions at mosques, temples, suraus, and community halls where older adults practice video calls, appointment booking, and spotting false messages. Pair learners with a “digital buddy”—a neighbor or youth volunteer—to reduce the digital divide.

For urban planning and businesses: Keep senior-friendly hours at markets and pharmacies. Mark quiet lanes in parks as “slow, safe routes” in times of heightened risk. Banks and retailers can staff “senior help counters” to navigate e-payments without embarrassment. Small, visible accommodations preserve dignity and reduce avoidance.

For families: Set predictable contact times—say, a Tuesday call and a Saturday lunch drop-off—to restore social support. Celebrate micro-rituals again: a monthly family prayer, weekly kuih-making, or grandkids reading aloud over video. Consistency counters uncertainty; rituals rebuild meaning.

For disaster preparedness: Maintain analog backups—printed clinic numbers, a paper list of medications, a community roster for check-ins—so support doesn’t collapse if systems go online-only. Plan for “connection continuity” the same way we plan for food and medicine.

The Pandemic’s Quiet Lesson: Protect Health Without Sacrificing Humanity

The voices in Exploring the social and emotional impact of COVID-19 on older residents of the Greater Klang Valley, Malaysia: A qualitative study highlight a simple truth: older adults coped not only because of resilience, but because connection, clarity, and small choices restored a sense of control. Future crises will come. The question is whether we will treat older people as passive recipients of rules or as partners with wisdom to guide what works on the ground.

The take-home message is clear: protect bodies, yes—but also protect belonging. If health systems, families, and communities embed that lesson now, the next emergency can be safer and more humane for the people who have already weathered the most.

Data in this article is provided by PLOS.

Tagged Adults, Age groups, Communications, COVID 19, Elderly, Emotions, Epidemiology, Fear, Infectious diseases, Medical conditions, Mental health and psychiatry, Pandemics, Population groupings, Psychological stress, Social communication, Sociology, Viral diseases