AK MUHD TAMIZI PG ABD RAHMAN M716111003

Mid-Term Report: Developing a Research Question

The Research Question

“How single Bruneian geriatrics cope with the ‘New Normal’ and the rise of internet of
things in post pandemic era?”

Main question:
How elderlies in Brunei that lives alone adjust themselves socially post pandemic COVID19?

Information needed:
Identifying (internet-based) coping mechanisms to adjust themselves from being socially
deprived and other mechanisms that may alleviate their loneliness and improve their social
health.

Defining the Concept

The research with attempt to identify, explore and examine the coping mechanisms developed by
senior citizens that live alone whether as a single, separated, divorced, or widowed during post
pandemic era as a new ‘norm’ of social interactions is ushered in with the use of modern
technology and internet.

Describe the Problem

The COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of social interactions and engagements
in our daily lives that is often taken for granted. It was evident that when isolations were in
placed, individuals felt disconnected, lonely, and for many, their mental wellbeing was
deteriorating. And so, people need to make drastic changes to their routine lives and develop
coping strategies as an effort to combat the negative impacts of social isolations and more so for
the target group of the study (the singles, separated, divorced, and widowed) senior citizens that
is often believed to be computer illiterate.
AK MUHD TAMIZI PG ABD RAHMAN M716111003

Specify the Gap & Justify the Investigation

Previous studies (C. Y. Lin, et. al 2022) have shown that suicides may fall to lowest following
the peak of pandemic and may rise again with decreased number of infection cases, and in the
post-pandemic era, there has yet a proper study that has been conducted towards specifically the
elderlies that live alone or by themselves.

Moreover, being socially disconnected and often thought to be non-tech savvy, the elderly may
have difficulty coping with the loneliness, isolation, and adjusting to the rise of internet usage
using modern day gadgets to connect with others. However, under the Brunei context, the
investigation also aims to examine the role of ‘spirituality’ in relieving such psychological and
social illnesses as research so far has been based on the Bio-Psycho-Social framework.

And as the framework suggests, research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks
for a variety of physical and mental conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease,
obesity, compromised immune system, depression and so on, more so for the ageing population.
Therefore, further research is needed on how the single geriatrics adjust themselves to the “New
Normal” and cope with the debilitating feelings of loneliness and social isolation that may have
exacerbated during the pandemic.
AK MUHD TAMIZI PG ABD RAHMAN M716111003

Notes:

 Higher level of evidence, higher quality of work.

 Find Secondary Data before Week 14 or 15
 It’s better to do research within closely geo-political area
 Intersectionality
 Questionnaire and Interview
 Literature Review
 Reviewing existing scaling methods of data collection
 Example Questionnaire 50, and 15 for interview of out it
 Reasoning and criteria for the interviewees
 Typology of single
 Conception of ‘coping mechanism’ – need literature review
 Typology of coping mechanism
 Ask them their medical records in the past 2 – 3 years
 Redefine ‘single elder’
 Measurement of technical skills – if belong of coping skills
 Interview Social Workers