International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 219-227 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijccr 222 exercise) are all key factors affecting the isolation experience and the feasibility of intervention measures (Goethals et al., 2020). 4.2 Data collection methods Research generally employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to comprehensively understand the impact of isolation on the elderly. Semi-open interviews can provide a deeper understanding of their life experiences, emotional changes, as well as their views on health and life. For safety and convenience, these interviews can be conducted face-to-face, by phone or via video (Goethals et al., 2020; Gholamzad et al., 2021). In addition, sometimes participants are required to write daily records or diaries documenting changes in their emotions, activities, and self-care, which can provide dynamic data over a period of time. Standardized questionnaires and scales are often used to assess mental health, physical activity and quality of life. Common tools include the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Life Satisfaction Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which are mainly used to measure depression levels, overall well-being, and stress levels (Coin et al., 2021; Durante et al., 2023). Questionnaires or telephone interviews with caregivers are also valuable as they can help understand their behaviors and psychological states, especially when caring for elderly people with cognitive impairments (Figure 1) (Cagnin et al., 2020). Figure 1 Distribution of classes of behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) burden defined as number of neuropsychiatric symptoms during quarantine divided by diseasetype (Adopted from Cagnin et al., 2020) 4.3 Analytical method To better understand the impact of isolation on the elderly, research often employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Data from interviews and open-ended questions are typically processed through content analysis or thematic analysis to summarize major issues such as anxiety, mood swings, social isolation, and lifestyle changes (Goethals et al., 2020; Gholamzad et al., 2021). This method can reflect the personal feelings of the elderly and show different results, both positive and negative.
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