The effects of SES, social support, and resilience on older adults’ well-being during COVID-19: Evidence from Singapore

• Main Authors: TADAI, Mindy Eiko, STRAUGHAN, Paulin Tay, CHEONG, Grace, NGU, Rachel Wen Yi, TAN, Yan Er
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
• Subjects: SES; Well-being; Social support; COVID-19; Singapore; Asian Studies; Health Communication; Social Psychology and Interaction
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3752; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5010/viewcontent/1_s2.0_S2664328623000256_pvoa_cc_by.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The COVID-19 pandemic has rendered visible many socioeconomic inequalities and the lengthy period of dis- ruption to everyday life had disproportionate effects on the most vulnerable groups in Singapore and across the world. Utilizing data from the Singapore Life Panel ® (SLP) collected in September 2021, this study examined a sample of 6667 older adults to assess the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on well-being, and the mechanisms through which social support and resilience may mediate its influence. Overall, our results suggest significant direct and indirect effects of SES on well-being and provide evidence for the pivotal role that social support plays in building resilience and well-being. Affluent socioeconomic backgrounds do not intrinsically build resilience; instead, it is through the access to social resources, which SES affords and facilitates, that resilience is developed, and well-being is safeguarded. We argue that Singapore’s policy response to COVID-19 has yet to fully leverage on social resources and develop a social infrastructure that can buffer the negative impacts of prolonged crises on the most vulnerable groups.