The impact of the corona crisis on the Netherlands is great, but it does not make the Dutch less satisfied with their own lives. Research by the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) shows this. People give an average of 7.9 for their life, which is the same as for the corona pandemic.
The Dutch are worried, but especially about others and about the future. They are concerned about the health of vulnerable groups, about people who do not adhere to the corona measures and about the economy and employment.
Social state of the Netherlands
Every year, the SCP researches the quality of life in the report The social state of the Netherlands. It looks at people’s well-being, in other words to what extent someone feels good physically, mentally and socially. The planning bureau also looks at employment, education and confidence in politics.
The researchers think that the impact of the pandemic on our well-being will increase, because people who are still able to survive today can also lose weight. “New problems pile up on old problems, which can put a strain on the resilience of society,” they write in the report.
Over 75s
Clear effects of recent months can already be seen in the elderly. “We see that many elderly people have become more lonely”, says researcher Josje den Ridder.
She distinguishes two types: social and emotional loneliness. “Social loneliness has not increased in the crisis,” she says. “That is loneliness due to the lack of contacts. Apparently we have all done well by, for example, getting groceries for our neighbors.”
The researchers do see a big increase in the emotional loneliness of people over 75. “That is missing a meaningful bond. Think of the elderly in a nursing home where no visitors came anymore. Family waving in front of the window is not enough for them to make that meaningful connection.”
The percentage of elderly people experiencing this emotional loneliness increased from 16 to 37 during the corona crisis. Since the relaxation of the measures, this has improved for some elderly people, but by no means for all.
Work uncertainty
A second development that the researchers at SCP see is the insecurity people have about their work, especially in sectors that have been hit hard in recent months. This uncertainty mainly occurs among young people, the lower educated, people with an occupational disability and people with a non-Western migration background.
The researchers think that dissatisfaction with one’s own life will increase in the coming months, as unemployment continues to rise or government support becomes more austere. “In addition, we know from the previous economic crisis that some of the consequences for the quality of life occur with some delay.”
–
